An Heir to the Throne
by seerofsorrow
Summary: Voldermort has a daughter ready to be raised by a cruel hand. My first FanFic so please review. Chapters unlucky 13 up!
1. The captive dreamer

Well here it goes my first fan fic. Okay.

DISCLAIMER: I am not J.K. Rowling and all charchters, settings, etc. are all of her brilliant ideas.

Harry was dreaming, and he was not prepared for what would come next. He wasn't aware that Voldermort was waiting for him as the night progressed. As he called his death eaters to his side, little did Harry realize that Voldermort was trying to make himself look bigger in order for his inane brain reach the conclusion of how serious this situation was. This was going to be the key to starting to prepare the future in case the inevitable happened, in case he died. He had to settle the dispute right now who would be his next in line and who would be his most faithful servant. He knew who he needed, he needed his daughter. "My Lord," Lucious though mercurial as to whom he served truly was sufferable due to his extreme brilliance and his ability to do intricate missions. He was a key he would need in order for all of this to work. "Yes," Voldermort broke his chain of thought and listened tolerantly. "My Lord everything is ready and the Dementor knows where to place him. "Good Lucious. Please put on your mask it is time." Lucious left the room and Voldermort relaxed with a grin as he thought to himself, "_Here I come Harry_."

Harry in Hogwarts was tossing and turning in his dormitory. He first woke up Ron who fell asleep late due to his unfinished homework, which he had worked on late into the night. Harry was sweating and puffing. He felt it the rush of the Dementor carrying him to the meeting. Voldermort saw the Dementor land right were he wanted it to. Then his silky, smooth, malevolent voice fill the circle. His lips curled into a smirk of curiosity. "My friends I have found her. I have at long last found my daughter and I have found her at long last. The ill-fated night when I was ripped from my body I saw her taken from my very manor. She was still very young and doesn't remember anything of me or my household. I saw her crying as she was pried from her promising cradle. She has been turned against me through Dumbledore and he has paid special attention throughout the years. Now it is time to retrieve her and Dumbledore can no longer restrain me. I will finally have my little girl back." That's when Ron finally pushed Harry awake.

Harry sat up screaming in pain, he could feel Voldermort's grief. His insides were squirming to get away. He was covered in a cold sweat. He gripped in the bed in order to balance out. He could feel Ron's hand on his upper arm shaking him. Ron was saying, "It's alright mate." Even Ron's reassucrance's couldn't stop the panic and fear that was spreading through Harry's veins. Harry knew that it wasn't alright, and a thousand thoughts were racing through Harry's head. He knew what he had to do though. He had to alert Dumbledore at once. He also knew that some place somewhere Voldermort's daughter was being taken.


	2. He knew

I nearly forgot thanks to all who reviewed it was much appreciated. Okay this chapter is completely a tier it will get more interesting I promise.

Harry ran out of the room with Ron at his side asking him questions which weren't helping his concentration. "What happened Harry? Is everyone alright?" Harry pushed the Fat Lady out of his way. Ron came behind him still asking stupidly annoying questions. Ron and Harry both ignored her as she sent insults down the hallway. Harry still felt cold and numb from sleep. He was urging his body out of the normal paralysis of sleep, forcing it to become more alert. His entire being was concentrating on his dream, trying to remember everything he saw. He saw the Death Eaters and the annoyed voice of Voldemort bearing into his ears with a gentle hiss. It seemed it was taking forever to get towards Dumbledore's office. In the mean while however Ron was poking at his concentration. "Was it good news?" Harry shook his head and said, "Ron I need to concentrate." At this Ron immediately became quite realizing how severe this situation was. Harry got to the front of Dumbledore's office, which was dimly lit and shadows were covering it like a cloak. Dumbledore was just coming out and down when Harry was approaching. Dumbledore looked gravely as came towards him. Dumbledore looked grave as Harry came towards him. Dumbledore said, "What's wrong Harry?" He gave Harry a look of apprehension. Harry took in a deep breath; He had been in such a rush to get to Dumbledore's office he hadn't realized what this information meant. Dumbledore had known about his heir. He had saved his heir, raised her and known that she and everything else was at stake in the wizarding world and it was all at stake because of Dumbledore's foolish idea. He had kept the secret tucked away inside his head. Now however the secret was out, and Voldemort's heir could continue. Harry was so mad that he thought of not even telling Dumbledore making him figure it out on his own. He had to tell Dumbledore no matter what though, it was too important not to tell him. Harry sighed and looked into Dumbledore's eyes which were narrowing with fear. "Professor, he's found his daughter and he's coming for her." Ron's mouth fell wide open as he made a spluttering sound. Dumbledore though was starring straight into Harry's eyes with apparent fear.

"Harry that's impossible."

"Sir he knows." Dumbledore shook his head while starring at the floor, "Harry he can't come after her."

Harry shook with disbelief, his anger which popped so easily now days had skyrocketed. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because she is under constant surveillance."

"Sir you need to watch her tonight we're in danger of losing everything. She needs your direct attention."

"Harry she already has my direct attention."

Harry stood in a tense pause between Dumbledore and Harry. Ron thought stated the very apparent situation. "She's here? In the castle?" Harry had to know though, "Who is it professor?" Dumbledore shifter not nervous or scared just hesitant. The initial shock wasn't felt at first as he had been racing down the hallways. Now however as he was speaking to Dumbledore it hit Harry. The evil doing would be allowed to continue, it wasn't over just with Voldemort it would continue to spread and even if Voldemort died it would be for not. Everything he stood for would continue. Harry felt the indignation of Dumbledore's comments and he yelled at the calm voice of ridiculous reason. "She is what could ruin everything and I can't' know who she is?" His anger finally popped all the way and he screamed at the top of his lungs. Dumbledore remained a tense calm but said, "I'm sure you'll find our tomorrow." At this Dumbledore left Harry raging and Ron dumbfounded.


	3. Reviews

Sorry about that I just completely forgot. Lol I know I must have ADD. Anyways thanks to all who have Reviewed- Run Away Mental Patient, Olishka Ivanova, Tween Idol, Conis, xOxO, stefph, DefenderofCannon, Bumperz, dumb gwalio,

A special shout out to DefenderofCannon and Conis for seeing my spelling mistakes. XOXO

And to dumb, that's really sad  but I look forward to reading your work! 

Okay I'm going to get this out of the way right now for all next chapters. Okay I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. I own no charchter, settings, etc. Thank you.


	4. The Howler

Dear readers, I am sorry this has taken me so long to write but after my latest reviews I realized my pervious chapter needed some major edits so I have changed the sorry plot a little so I recommend you read chp. 3 if you read the previous one. So that's all. THANKS FOR MY REVIEWS, YALL ROCK. I don't own Harry Potter that was all J.K. Rowling\ Read and Review ! 

Hermione woke up early that morning, looking at the inside of her four-poster bed with the hangings closed tightly around her. She curled up under the covers wishing she could stay in the warmth of her bed, but she had work to do. She curled up under the sheets as she thought of her classes for the day and what was due. This was how she got into work mode. First was Herbology, where she had a test on Thursday, in Arithmacy she had a homework assignment, which she had already finished, and for Charms she had to read the finer points on Apparition, which was also already done.

She stripped off her warm sheets and got used to the cold on a late September. She got up and dressed groggily, and fruitlessly tired to pull a brush through her hair. She eventually gave up and just put up her hair with a clip. She looked in the mirror and made a face. Laughing at herself she made sure uniform was neat. She looked taller now that she had grown and was getting thinner. Now she ate everything she could get her hands on, and no matter how much she ate, she was still extremely skinny. Her hair never obeyed and was currently in a great big clump on the top of her head. Her nose and the top of her cheeks were covered in black spots as her almond eyes flashed with intelligence. She had on her overly baggy uniform, which was perfect for storing her school supplies in.

Hermione bent down and picked up her tattered school bag, which weighed a ton due to her extra reading. She was trying to find out how Harry's scar tied Voldermort to Harry. If Harry ever found out about what Hermione was doing she knew he would flip out. She was trying to find out how about Harry's scar and the Voldermort's tie to Harry. She went down the stairs with her schoolbooks in tow. She got down to the common room only to find Ron and Harry sitting in one of the couches looking groggily awake, but aggravated and Harry looked positively furious. Her stomach fell; she could tell by Harry's expression that Voldermort was on the move. Hermione sat opposite them and said, "Good Morning." She looked at Harry and his apparent disheveled appearance she could tell he hadn't slept all night and in his eyes she could see his worry and frustration. Ron yawned widely and said, "Good Morning." Harry was shifting in his chair making eye contact with the fire. Hermione sighed she knew what probably had happened, he ad another dream last night and was scared out of his mind. Harry looked in pain and it looked like he had to cut himself as he said, "Voldemort's daughter is in Hogwarts." He sighed outward and started shifting his feet. This was not the response she had been waiting on and her face dropped. This couldn't be happening, "How could this possibly be? We have to tell Dumbledore." She jumped to her feet ready to go find a teacher. She knew that if Dumbledore knew he would fix the problem. Harry wrung his hand in frustration, "We already have." She instantly pluffed into her chair. Harry told Ron and Hermione his dream from last night and how Dumbledore had handled Harry's news. The whole time Ron had his mouth open. After Harry finished his story Hermione felt betrayed by Dumbledore. How could he possibly have allowed this to happen? Voldemort's daughter in Hogwarts, this was an outrage! Hermione knew what this meant, Voldemort's reign could continue even after he was dead. This thought sent shivers down her spine and her toes curl. Hermione thought about every detail Harry had just said, and analyzing all the data. This, her auto response to any information that she received seemed like she was trying to reason her way out of this hopeless situation. Then she saw a clue Dumbledore had let slip. "Harry didn't Dumbledore say that you'd find out today who his heir was?" Harry looked helpless as he stared at the floor. "Yes." "Well," said Hermione, "how would we know?" Harry shot up and looked straight at Hermione and nodded his head, "The only way the entire school would know would be through a howler." Hermione nodded her head, relived a little bit at Harry's countenance. Harry's face lit up with possibilities as he completed Hermione's thought. Ron nodded his head, "Yeah that's sort of the point behind a howler." Ron looked a little relieved to see Harry happy again. Ron and Hermione started to frown as Harry dropped his head and pulled on his hair as he asked, "Why would Voldemort want everyone to know who his daughter is?" Harry looked confused again along with hopeless. She stared at the fire realizing the rational behind a howler; Hermione looked in the fire and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know Harry." She let out a sigh, feeling terribly hopeless and lost. Ron jumped up and said, "Well we can figure that out later, in the mean time let's find out who it actually is first." Ron broke through the confusion and looked ready for action. Hermione caught on quickly and followed Ron's lead and said, "He's right Harry, one problem at a time." Harry got up shaking his head and sighing and followed Ron and Hermione out of the common room and down to the great hall. Everyone was already eating in the great hall. You could hear the clink of silverware against plates. It was an average Friday, but the air was filled with excitement today, as there was a Hogsmeade visit tomorrow. Everyone was acting normal and it was apparent that no news of Voldemort's heir had reached anyone's ears.

Hermione, Harry and Ron all sat down at the Gryffindor table. Hermione looked towards the other tables trying to find out who his heir was. Her heart started beating faster and her senses heightened. She heard the familiar swoosh of wings and hoots that announced the mail had arrived. She was shaking on the inside now Hermione didn't look up towards the owls but looked for the crimson red of a howler on the other tables. She didn't see it though as the owls landed though. She started panicking wondering if Harry could've been right. Hermione was confused could it possibly not be a howler? What then would announce to the other students who Voldemort's heir was? She felt a tug at her shoulder, and she turned around to see the absolute horror Harry's and Ron's faces. Her body started shaking, "Who…" Ron pointed with a quivering finger down and Hermione saw the crimson letter addressed to her in perfect handwriting. Her heart felt like it had dropped to her feet and she started shaking so terribly she could barely keep her seat. Neville said, "Just open it." She sat frozen in space with complete separation, but reason soon griped her. Hermione felt her hands bouncing in every possible direction as she eventually opened the letter. Everyone in the entire hall went quite when they discovered Hermione had a howler. The normal curiosity surrounded the letter, and jeers of classmates. Little did they know what was in this letter. It ripped through the hall piercing everything.

"Hello my beloved daughter. I hope Harry did send you the message along with Dumbledore. How I've missed you. As you have probably already discovered you belong to my lineage, surely you didn't think that with you brilliant mind you were born of mere muggles. You can write me at Lord Voldemort's mansion. Till then your dear and loving father Lord Voldemort."

All of this was spoken more in a hiss than in a voice, and to top of the entire letter the letter exhaled a ghostly butterfly as it blew outwards. The butterfly flitted above the letter and stayed there for a while. Hermione fell out of her chair literally paralyzed. All the students sitting at the Gryffindor table ran away with screams and wands pulled out. Her mind was screaming, No it wasn't true! How could she of all people be Voldemort's heir? She felt the fear sinking into her and numbing her mind. Harry and Ron sat there almost as paralyzed as Hermione. The truth slowly trickled into Hermione; she was his heir. She was his daughter. She let the tears flow out of her. Truth flooded and she was sinking. The first person she saw in her view was Dumbledore who stood above her and stared at her with a grim expression, "Miss Granger we need to talk." Her rage filled with her, she wanted to slap him. He knew, he could've told her. Dumbledore slowly helped Hermione up, she still felt paralyzed and weakly held onto him. As he tried to help Hermione up another owl landed on the table with a package and a letter attached to it. Hermione rushed at the package not hesitating and opened the letter.

Dear Hermione,

Please except this as a gift from me to you.

Don't fear I wish you no harm.

Please write.

Your father,

Lord Voldemort

She untied the white string that bound the package. She opened the box and inside saw a snake coiled around a sheet of rolled up paper. She took up the snake and tried to put it on the table. The snake however wouldn't budge from her hand and wrapped itself around her tighter. She gave up trying to put the snake down, and withdrew the piece of parchment. She slipped the black ribbon holding the piece of paper off and unrolled the dense piece of parchment. She saw what the piece of parchment was for, it was a ticket for one owl to be picked up at the post office. Hermione practically broke down after this after this and just let the tears flow form her eyes. He wanted her to write her. Her enemy wanted her to write him. Dumbledore carefully lead her out and coaxed her into his office. Hermione stopped shuddering once she entered his office, and instead just looked dumbfounded at the headmaster's office. It was filled with beautiful artifacts that Hermione recognized, and she saw Dumbledore's phoenix. She had been told about Fawkes from Harry, but he had failed to mention how beautiful he was. Fawkes let out a note and it was as if she had just swallowed a butterbeer. She felt the snake on her wrist tighten. She slowly stroked the snake as it let go just a little bit. Dumbledore sat down and motioned for Hermione to sit down. She sat down and sunk into a squishy armchair. It felt so comfortable sitting in his office. It was so warm and comfortable, and yet she felt a sinking sensation taking place in her stomach. Dumbledore leaned over his desk and said, "Lemon drop?" He offered her a tin box filled with yellow candies. She took one out of the tin box and started sucking on it. Dumbledore stood up and took out his wand, opening the windows to allow the bright sunlight in. He say back down at his desk and sighed, "Miss Granger I think it's about time I tell you about your past. I'm sorry I haven't told you before, but I was afraid you might run away or worse. You are Miss Granger Voldemort's only living heir. I'm afraid I can't tell you who your mother is, because I just don't know. I'm also afraid that you should probably write him or else he might send you another howler. I would ask before you send any letters that you show them to me. Hermione although you are his daughter this doesn't mean you are a different person or that I expect any less from you. Remember you are first and foremost who you chose to be. If you have any questions just ask."

Hermione looked at Dumbledore's grave eyes and said, "Professor could you tell me how you got to me and how I ended up in a muggle residence?" Dumbledore sighed and nodded as he looked at Hermione as she stared out the window trying to take everything in. "I found you at the Riddle Manor long ago. The house was abandoned and the only living soul left was you. I entered the house and picked you up out of the cradle. One of the death eaters came for you after Voldemort fell. It was Barty Crouch in his death eaters uniform, and I think he was trying to save you. Even if his master was dead then he could hop that you would live to continue his master's work. At that time however I had no idea who it had been, all I remembered were his eyes. He battled and left immediately I took you to my house and soon realized you couldn't stay with me. I couldn't let anyone harm you, too many people started to suspect who you were. I found a muggle couple desperate for a child. I gave you to them and you have stayed with them ever since." Hermione took in all of this information about her past and said, "Professor I have one more question to ask you, why did you take me in? Why didn't you just kill me?" Dumbledore slightly smiled and said, "Because everyone deserves a second chance, and life should never be wasted." Hermione held her head in her hands crying. Dumbledore went over to Hermione and patted her on the back. "You can go back to bed if you wish Miss Granger." The first thought that raced through her mind was missed classes, but she couldn't face the school, not today at least.


	5. Decieved

Dear Readers- Thanks for all the input, I love you all so much. Especially the criticism! Thanks! I know this is sort of jerky, but I couldn't think of any good transitions so please go along with me on this one! The next one will be A LOT better! Promise X. Next chapter will be soon after school is over in like 9 days!

Hermione somehow dragged herself up to her dormitory, forcing herself to move inch by inch. The thoughts regurgitated in her head: I'm his daughter, I'm his blood, He missed me, He wants me to write to him. She couldn't stop them from coming.

She finally, by some miracle, landed onto her soft welcoming bed, and felt extremely odd as she lay in bed as thesun was starting to rise. She felt so weighed down, but she couldn't sleep. He wants me to write to him, and tell him what? What could he possibly want with me? She looked back at the morning, before she had known, and thought of what she had said. He wanted Hermione to be his heir. She shook so badly the bed groaned. She tried to control all the emotions that seemed were about to explode in her. All of her fear was making her dizzy. She shifted with a jerk almost trying to throw of her emotions.

She eventually succumbed to sleep as she saw the sun shining through her curtains. When she slept she couldn't help dreaming of a howler running after her. She heard his voice echo in her head. His words weren't clear, but she could hear his howls of delight.

She woke up with a start in the middle of the night. She jerked out of her bed feeling the cold floor pass under her. Hermione felt like running and never stopping, as she skirted out of her dormitory. She ran past Parvarti's snores and Lavender's heavy sighs of sleep. The cold never ending dark of the stairway lead her to the warm inviting light of the fire late at night, an enemy.

There was a shadow swaying in front of the fire, Harry. Hermione stopped almost instantly, as Harry nodded into the fire. Her instinct was immediately put out with Harry's presence; he scared anything and everything that was in her. She was more afraid of him then anything else, for his decision would mark everybody else's.

Hermione saw his grimace and knew he wasn't going to say anything against Hermione, but he was so distant. He felt cold towards to her and she was no longer his friend. He sighed outward without emotion. He was indifferent to her now and so the rest of the world would be.

He exhaled his words, "Voldermort's got them Hermione. He's got Mrs. Weasly, Mr. Weasly, Fred, George, Lupin, and everyone almost from the Order. He said that unless you enter his presence within a fortnight he will kill them all. If you go then he will set them all free."

Hermione knew what his plan was now,Voldermort had never intended for her to write him. That had all been a set up to make her feel secure.

"He set us up Hermione, he has us and we have to give in."

Harry spoke the truth, it was the perfect set up and even Dumbledore hadn't seen it coming.

"Hermione we don't want to force you to go."

Hermione knew that was a lie. She would either go and face Voldermort's wrath or everybody else. Every road lead to the same fate, she would have to face him. She knew if Voldemort would go this far to get to her there is no way he would stop with just this one plan.

Hermione shuddered and she didn't know where to turn. Everyone else thought she was bad blood. She sighed outward, she felt it again that urge to run, all she wanted to know at that moment was the pounding of ground under her feet.

She controlled her body to make an answer, made her tongue and mouth move in unison, "Harry I'll go, just give me a couple of hours."

She burst out of the common room just as Harry turned around with his hand out.

She ran and ran through the maze of hallways of darkness that clung to her momentarily. Faces passed her frozen looking down at her. Her panting kept her from screaming in agony. She saw it in the flash of an eye a door outside. The doors burst open with a strident boom. The moon was only a sliver and guided her through the dim grounds. The grass felt pleasant through her feet. She reached the edge of the forest and the roots of trees helped her wined her way through the forest.

She saw a few scurmages of movement and saw a unicorn besides her. Why would a unicorn wish to be next to her? What was going on, she just didn't want to know, all she knew was that she had to keep running. She tried to run past her, she wanted to hide in darkness forever. The unicorn kept pace with her though, as she forced herself onward. The unicorn soon passed her and put itself right in front of her. She took a sharp turn wishing to pass it. The unicorn was beauty and she had no right of being near it. The unicorn however for a second time stopped in front of her.

Hermione halted and looked at the unicorn as it peered at it from one of its purple blistering eyes. The unicorn looked searchingly at Hormone almost quizzical. Hermione slumped down onto the forest floor and put her shaking hands up to her face. She saw her hands and screamed into them and covered her face. She didn't cry as much as just screamed wishing she could die.

The unicorn kneeled next to Hormone and nuzzled her. Hermione took her hands out of her shaking hands and saw the unicorn looking at her head on. Its eyes glimmered with an understanding smirk. Hermione sniffled and gave a laugh as she threw her arms around the unicorn. She cried into the unicorn's shimmering coat.

Hermione stopped crying after a while and felt the unicorn put its head on her shoulder, hugging her almost. A while after Hermione got up looked the unicorn in the eye and sighed. She squeezed the unicorn's neck and got up trying to find her strength, but Hermione didn't find anything there. She stood without anything in her. The emptiness swallowed her, filling all parts that were her.

The unicorn followed her upwards and put its muzzle on her back. It was the oddest feeling she had ever felt. It wasn't joy as much as shear understanding confusion. Her head was filled with a beautiful song of the forest. Then she felt something inside of her, she found her strength at last. The strength of the forest was inside of her. Hermione felt it inside of her all the way to the edge of the forest as the unicorn guided her. They walked slowly, but Hermione felt like she understood.

She looked up towards the castle as it almost stirred with the rising sun. The unicorn urged her forward and followed her up to the grounds. The unicorn stopped about 50 yards away from the castle.

Hermione turned around to face the unicorn and asked a question, "Will you promise to help me if anything should happen to me, that you will help me, even if you have to drag me screaming and kicking into the forest? Promise me."

The unicorn came closer to Hermione and she could hear the reassurance in her brain.

"Yes." The unicorn whinnied slowly into her ear.

Hermione exhaled slowly, "If I have you on my side then I'm not as scared." She started to shake again but she thought of the unicorn's song and her brain easily accessed it. She smiled it was in her memory all she had to think of was the song and the forest would support her. The forest's roots were inside of her now and she was so happy, there would always be something there for her. She shook herself out and put up her barrier to face the world.

The walk towards the castle was steep, and it took all of her courage not to run again. Shewondered wither the unicorn had been a dream or not? Was the unicorn going to be her strengh? Her answer was yes then at least she had something to hold onto.The school was buzzing inside, with curiousness, which she felt totally estranged to, she wish she didn't know. A form of envy sprang inside of her, and she realized that ignorance was truly bliss.

She walked into the castle and saw almost the entire school was in the entrance hall. All the people became dead quite as they saw her approach and watched what she was going to do, like a baboon in the zoo.She put up her barrier and waited for the attack from the rest of the school. She knew no one was going to be wishing her farewell. She waited for someone to tell her what to do. If she was to leave immediately then they already would have told her what to do, wouldn't they?

"Hermione!" She turned around in disbelief someone wished her well or was it a teacher? Neville came towards her in the crowd and shook so hard that she could barely grab what he was holding out in front of her. There was a letter signed by Dumbledore, it was obviously scribbled very fast. She opened the letter with little hesitation and read:

Dear Hermione,

I am sorry that I cannot come and bid you farewell but as part of Lord Voldermort's request I was not to see you off, as was Harry or Ron. You are not to take any luggage with you and you will be leaving on a carriage where you are usually dropped off from school. Hermione remember we all love you and rest assured we will welcome you when you return home. I will give you only one piece of advice, for I fear anymore. Clear your head and remember who you are and that you have grown. You are not determined by your blood you alone can determine who you are. Also I sometimes find it useful to let go.

Wishing Well,

Albus Dumbledore

P.S. Please leave this letter at the school.

She took out her wand and lit the letter on fire so that no one could read it. Neville ran out of sight at the sight of the fire, probably thinking she was mad enough to light him on fire.

Hermione felt a little relieved to have the letter. Dumbledore was right she was more than just blood. She made herself into who she wanted herself to be, of course she had told herself this many times as a mudblood but now it meant more. She could excel as a mudblood, but she could also over come anything as herself, despite the difficulties now facing her. All she had to do was to remember herself and the sound of the forest. Her roots.

She stepped out onto the drive where the head less horses stood usually to receive and drop off students. Now however there stood a small carriage and an enormous winged horse with bright blue eyes just staring at her. She lightly drew herself up in it. The door handle closed with a snap and a few moments later she felt herself being drawn along.

Hope you liked it PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R!


	6. The Dark Manor

Dear Fellow,

Since you are the only person who reviewed me for the fifth one this is completely dedicated to you! I have chps. 7&8 already typed up just send me a review and I will post the next chp. Thanks seerofsorrow!

Obviously I do not own Harry Potter.

The carriage was covered in a deep red velvety cloth with dim reading lights inside. There were no windows just some padding on the bottom of the door and a gold handle for the door. The seats were quite comfortable and she was able to curl in them quite easily.

She rode in the quaint carriage for many hours and let her mind wonder trying to reassure herself that she would be safe and that Voldemort would treat her kindly. It was the first time she had even allowed herself to go that far in her mind. Closing everything down before made everything worse now, and yet she couldn't stop thinking about what was in front of her.

She wondered what he would want with her? That thought in itself frightened her beyond all compared and she shivered. What would she be subjected to? She shuddered at the thought of going to a Dark Mark meeting. The carriage was a bit bumpy, but was very relaxing. She was full of worry not just for herself, but her friends. Would he really let them all go? Ms. Weasly being tortured flickered across her eyes and tears trickled down her eyes. She shook in her boots when she thought of meeting Lord Voldermort for the first time.

She felt irritated with herself she couldn't worry about the future or else she would driver herself nuts. She breathed in deeply trying to clear her mind and focus it away from the shadowed future. With a trembling, uncaring hand she wiped off her tears. The carriage really was very comfortable as she rode along. Her head drooped as she grew groggy in the carriage and soon fell asleep.

She woke up back in the carriage and felt that it was still moving beneath her she yawned and looked at her watch. It was nearly eight o clock at night, where was she going that was taking this long to get to? As soon as she asked the question the carriage pulled to a halt and she leeched forward a little.

Hermione slowly took in a breath and exhaled to try to calm her nerves, which were overpowering her. Well here it goes, she thought to herself, it's time to face the music. Her hand was trembling when she reached for the latch and her heart was pounding in her ears.

She opened the door and looked out to see a giant castle in front of her. It was almost the size of Hogwarts and was beautiful in the moonlight. There was a long walk up to the castle etched in blood red roses.

She didn't think when she stepped out because the castle ensnared her senses and nearly fell over when she tried to step out of the carriage. Cursing herself for being so clumsy, she got out finally and stepped up to the walk and the front gates that surrounded the house. There was a crest in the front door. The crest was composed of a large snake in a circle eating its tail with a D in the middle. The D had vines woven over it and a rose was leaning in the middle of the D.

She reached the gate and saw a figure standing at the gates looking at her through slits in a white mask. The Death Eater was fairly tall and had magnificent blue eyes. His frame was subtle in his cloak. Hermione shook about but she tried to ignore it. Her heart was pounding in her head again making it impossible to hear anything but her fear. She came closer to the gate and stared at the person behind the mask.

"Hello." She said, trying to sound as polite as she could.

"Hello," said the person. He or she had a foggy rifting voice. "You are I assume our masters daughter."

Hermione started to sweat. She shook like a leaf, she was so afraid what would happen to her behind these gates that she wished she could run away and never return because she knew that that was not an option.

"Y—Yes," She stumbled through the answer partly because she was so afraid and partly because she didn't know if she wanted to answer the question that way at all. She wanted to deny anything to do with this place.

"Then come in." Hermione opened the gates and stepped in. She had to take her time in order to make sure that she didn't break down or fall into a ball. The large castle would now be her prison. Her hands shook so when she finished closing the gate she held her hands together so that they wouldn't shake so much. She clenched her hands trying to make them obey, but they wouldn't stay still. Her head hammered with her looming doom, which lay just inside the castle. The clink of the gate sealed her fate inside this place. Thinking of the theory of Antidotes she turned around and forced herself to put one foot in front of the other.

She walked with the death eater up the walk in silence, the only sound made was the click of his boots.

They were quickly approaching the castle as he asked her, "What do you make of the castle?"

Hermione knew she had to break the silence and said in a shaky voice, "I think it looks very pretty I especially love the roses in the front."

Hermione knew she sounded like a child saying this but it was the only thing that came into mind. The death eater soon opened the door for Hermione and said, "Welcome to The Dark Manor."

He opened one of the double doors with the crest on it again and followed her inside. She had to contain her shock when she entered the parlor. It had beautiful marble flooring with luxuries tables and shadowed mirrors. The walls were a forest green color and didn't have a blemish on them. He lead them past this room and to the right going straight down a long corridor with lots of ancient pictures and knights of armor. She observed all the old dark lords, which rested on these walls. She was soon lead to the left and then to the right again.

They stopped in front of a door, which was made out of dark red cherry and gold letters. He led them into the room and she saw the bed first which was directly to the left and had a small bed stand beside it. Across from this wall was a bureau and above it was a large mirror. Also on this wall was the fireplace, which was roaring. There were a few bookcases on the left wall and a huge desk to her right. The room felt huge and unwelcoming. She swore she could feel a strange wind blowing through her room. The death eater shifted to let her pass him and she did so out of instinct only. She hated the room that was for sure.

"This is your room, make yourself comfortable and all of your clothing is in the bureau. If you need anything else Ella, your house elf, will be in soon." He closed the door behind him. She slumped onto the bed and puffed out. She supposed it could be worse, but she felt so unwelcome in this room. She looked at the bureau and decided she had better look at the type of clothing they had picked out for her. She crossed the room and it took too much time in her opinion. She opened the first drawer and saw different colored robes of blood red, dark green, and just black. She opened another drawer and saw her undergarments all lined up.

She sighed, "Okay well obviously what I'm not used to, but they will probably be extremely comfortable."

She heard a knock at the door and she heard the door crack open. Hermione looked down and saw a small house elf with great big blue eyes.

Hermione smiled and said, "Hello, are you Ella?"

The house elf nodded and said, "What would mistress like for dinner?" It was all said in a very high out of tune squeak.

Hermione hadn't even thought about dinner, "Ummm… You don't have some cheese and ham sandwiches do you?"

The house elf smiled and nodded, "Yes we do mistress."

Hermione smiled and said, "Please don't call me mistress, I'm Hermione."

Ella just smiled and said, "Okay." Ella bowed low and darted out of the room closing the door behind her.

Hermione was alone again without anything to do. She sighed at her reflection in the mirror wondering what she was going to do for fun. She sure couldn't think about what was going on or she'd drive herself nuts. She looked at the bookcase and saw the many books just lying there.

She took a closer look at the titles and saw some titles, _550 uses for blood Dark Creatures, Parseltounge throughout the ages_, etc. Hermione frowned at the titles wishing there was something else to read other than dark arts. She sighed knowing that there wouldn't be anything fitting into that category for quite a while.

Ella came in with Hermione's food and put it on the bed stand. Then darted quickly out just as Hermione said, "Thank You."

Ella just bowed out and said, "T'was no problem Mis--Hermione." Ella left in a flash. Hermione ate her food as she took down the 550 uses for blood and began to read chapters 1 through 10. Thoroughly disgusted by the topic of another's blood she fell asleep quickly trying to take in all of the castle, the book, her room, and her emotions. As she fell asleep the first thought that went through Hermione's head was, okay I can get through tomorrow and let everything go just as Dumbledore said.

She nodded awake the next morning by Ella. She was standing over her and Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Ella's great big eyes.

Ella backed up looking worried, "Did I scare Mis--Hermione?"

"No. I am awake Ella. What time is it?"

"Tis 5:20 mistress."

Hermione yawned heavily and said, "Ella, where are we going so early in the morning?"

"Miss has to go somewhere, I is not knowing where Hermione."

Hermione nodded her head clearing her mind and made her brain form around Ella's high-pitched words. Hermione got up and said,

"I need to be changed and I'll be ready to go downstairs."

"Misses the bathroom is right here." Ella pointed to a door on Hermione's right. Hermione hadn't noticed it the night before because it blended straight into the wall except for the golden handle sprouting out from the wall.

Hermione yawned and got out of bed, grabbed a pair of clean clothing, went into the bathroom and changed. She came back in robes that fit her quite well but they were a bit long, but that might just be the style.

She stepped out to Ella cleaning her plates from last night and putting breakfast on her bedside table.

"Miss has ten minutes to eat."

Hermione saw all the food laid out before her and squirmed, she couldn't possibly eat that much food that early in the morning.

She sighed and said, "Ella I can't possibly eat all this food. Next time just bring up a stack of toast or something."

Ella just nodded her head and passed Hermione the toast from the tray. Hermione munched on them happily and finished her breakfast fairly quickly. Soon she was staring around wondering what she should do next.

She looked at Ella and said, "Where are we going Ella?"

Ella just shook her head and said, "I is not saying Miss."

Hermione sighed and said, "Alright."

She knew that she wouldn't be able to get any information out of Ella and it was pointless in trying. It was obvious that Ella was loyal to her master and wasn't going to give up information as easily as say Dobby. She stood and waited for them to go. Then she realized Ella was a good house elf and wouldn't go anywhere without being told to first. She didn't want to have to face this but she knew she was going to have to at some point in time, she shook with uncertainty, but she made herself stop thinking about it.

Her body filled with worry as she said, "Okay let's go Ella."

Ella looked up at Hermione and said, "Follow me please."

Ella led them out of Hermione's room and into the dark early morning corridor. As she heard the door close behind her she knew that in front of her laid her doom. She continued walking down the hall with Ella's shadow bobbing along. They went through what seemed to be a maze of hallways until they stopped in front of a double door room.

Ella stepped back and said, "Here you go mistress." Hermione tried not to think and just let go as Dumbledore suggested when she opened the doors. She was panting and her hand was shaking so bad that she could hear the handle rattling a bit. Hermione exhaled shallowly as she opened the door.

Ha. Isn't that a great cliffhanger? Hee. Hee. Well review and I will post the next one. If you love me review, if you hate me review, if you can type and are reading this review. Please!


	7. Thoughts

I hope you all like it! It's a good long chapter that was fun to write, but the next one is even better! Yeah! Now if you love me or hate me or can type please drop me a review! I love you all!

Total thanks to emmzi91,padfoot'smoon,zoz34340! Padfoot I totally agree with you that letter was so un-voldie, but I suck with letters, or official documents. I don't know I'm weird! If you ultro love me read the first chapter of No Idea. The summary sucks but see if you like it!

Hermione opened the door up a peak to see a bunch of death eaters standing around in a huge room, which was all black with nothing in it. At the sound of the door opening all the Death Eaters turned to look at her. She could feel the tension between her and the Death Eaters rise immediately. She swung the door open and quietly let herself in.

She heard one of them playfully remark, "Look an innocent child."

All the death eaters started laughing at this. She didn't know how to stand her ground in this type of situation, what was she suppose to say back to them? She just quietly closed the door behind her and stood inside in the room. They started swarming around her.

"Wow, so we have a daddy's girl."

Hermione was now getting annoyed, "Haha… very funny."

She tried to sound sarcastic but it didn't sound right she was too nervous for it to come out right. The death eaters looked somewhat interested in this game of let's pick on Hermione. Hermione didn't like the idea at all and wished they would just leave her alone, but instead they started circling around her, closing in.

"Where's your binky?"

Hermione was already tired of these jokes, "I traded mine in years ago for a wand, what about you?"

The death eaters replied back rhetorically, "Ooooohhhh…I know how to use a wand, how about you?"

Hermione wasn't stupid enough to get in a fight with a Death Eater, but it would relieve a lot of tension that was building in her. She saw the bait, but she didn't take it. She stood silent knowing it being unwise to rise to the challenge.

"What too scared? Afraid of me?"

One of the death eaters was now close to her in the middle of the room taunting her as the rest of the death eaters created a misshapen circle around Hermione.

"No, but not foolish enough to get in a fight with a more experienced fighter."

The death eater always had something to say, "Well, well, well, so you are too chicken to fight then?"

Voldemort came swiftly into the room right at this moment. It was bittersweet timing. He came in so fast that Hermione had little to no time to brace herself for his presence.

His red eyes flashed to his group of death eaters who were now standing in a straight line behind Hermione, bowing. Hermione recognized them doing this, but she just looked straight ahead at Voldemort trying to make sense of his almost fluid movement, towards her. Her brain almost went numb and no longer functioned. Hermione knew what she was supposed to be doing, bowing, but there was no way in hell that she was going to do that. A part of her brain started to unfreeze, but the part of her brain that was unfrozen was screaming in fear. He swiftly moved forward towards her but kept his eyes off of her, instead focusing on his death eaters. When he was right in front of her he popped his eyes up until his were bearing straight into hers.

She felt it for a second and she could see it, they were red but for a second she remembered them. She knew she knew them. He recognized her eyes too she could just sort of sense it. She saw the disgust at something building in his eyes, and Hermione knew that he was disgusted at who she had become. She felt like backing up, but she didn't dare. He was searching her, reading her mind. He was looking into her, but she sensed he was looking for a part of her that didn't exist anymore. She knew what he was looking for, a part of her that remembered him and her previous life.

"You do remember." Said Voldemort. His eyes squinted a little searching harder.

Hermione shook her head and bent it down a little. "I don't remember, I'm sorry. I don't remember."

"I can make you remember."

"No, you can't no matter how much you search, your wishing has not made it so. You knew that I would not remember. But there was a part of you that wished I would remember. That was a false hope." This statement played straight into her plan of getting out of here. Maybe if he thought his dreams were all false he would let go of her.

"I know you remember because when you were little I used to play Occlumency games with you and your playing one right now." Hermione could feel a few instinctive cogs in the back of her brain somewhere working. She just couldn't remember any of it if she went searching.

"We can discuss this later, first I have a morning meeting."

He turned to his death eaters who were still bowing. "You know your duties, I have none to add this morning. This is my daughter Hermione and I will be training her in a spare room. Should anyone need me I will be available during lunch and dinner. You're dismissed."

The Death Eaters left in a swishing of cloaks as they disapperated.

Voldemort tuned to face Hermione, "Follow me." She followed Voldemort through the winding hallways as the sun came through the windows. Voldemort and she came to the front of a blood red door.

Voldemort exhaled and said, "You'll attend training in this room and in the main dining hall you'll be receiving refinement classes Tuesday and Thursday afternoons."

Voldemort closed the door and said, "We'll start with the basics."

Voldemort heaved outwards but kept his composure of uncaring. He turned and walked into the middle of the room. Hermione followed him and stood a breathable distance away from him.

"Now I need to access how good you are so we're going to have a duel."

"What!"

She couldn't duel him, she would be killed or worse. There was no way she would survive.

"No it's alright. I won't hurt you and you're probably so slow that I'd be able to dodge your spell even if it was to hurt me."

Hermione didn't have a choice, and there was no point in arguing. She put up her wand knowing that she was probably going to regret this later. Voldemort just put his wand at the ready as Hermione did the same. She tried to think of a spell, any spell. It came to her probably because it was the first offensive spell that she had ever learned.

Voldemort nearly hissed, "One…two…three…"

"Petrificous Totalus!"

She got ready to shield herself just in case he tried to strike back. He easily dodged it and his spell came out of nowhere before she even got the thought to protect herself in her head. Jelly legs. Crap, she went wobbling around for a couple of minutes before she did the counter curse. He looked at her inquiring in her mind. She knew that he could see in minds, but she didn't know what he was looking at or looking for.

He was still staring at her and said, "You have a pretty good grasp on spell work, but now you're going to have to learn agility. We can use the spell that you already used. Now try it again on the count of three. 1,2,3."

She said the spell but he was able to easily dodge it again. He shook his head, "Faster."

They did it again. He was still able to dodge it.

"Faster."

She tried again. It was getting faster, but he was still able to dodge it. At the end of two hours of trying to make her spell work fast she was getting frustrated, wishing she could hit him.

Voldermort obviously was getting tired of this exercise as well and at the end of two hours said, "Stop. We'll work on that more tomorrow, it will take some time. For now we can work on your shields." The first thought that raced through her head was, oh my god I'm gonna die.

"I'm not going to tell you what curse I'm going to throw out so you have to try to keep up with me." He smiled. Hermione wanted to wipe that smile right off his face.

He raised his wand and said, "1…2…3…" His wand flew out at Hermione and she faintly heard him murmur, "Petrificous Totalius"

She threw up her shield as soon as she heard it and nearly blocked it all the way, but she was a little slow and some of it got to her. She fell backwards and hit the floor.

Voldermort laughed in the background and said, "You nearly blocked it, but your too slow." He appeared right above her and leaned right over her body.

"Let's have another go and if you block it we'll stop for today on this exercise."

Hermione was ready to be over with this exercise of him openly attacking her. As he said counted off she concentrated on him solely. The minute the curse was out she had her shield up and the spell ricocheted off of the shield.

Voldemort's lips curled into a smile as he said, "Very good."

Hermione deflated and put down her wand and relaxed. It wasn't so hard as long as she concentrated. "We can work on your Occlumency now. This is an exercise I'm afraid will take a very long time to accomplish, since you haven't had any formal training in this area since you were a baby."

Hermione stood still and frigid, he would be attacking her mind. She didn't have any major embarrassing moments or anything, but she didn't want him to see her. Then it hit her all of the information about the order, why hadn't she thought of this sooner. He could take all of her information and use it against her friends. Shit this was not good and there was no way to get out of it.

Voldemort sighed and said, "I made an agreement with Dumbledore that I would take no information from you about the Order."

Hermione looked dumbfounded with her mouth open a little bit, he knew about the Order, how?

He laughed from some hollow spot, "Of course I know about the Order. Do not take me for a fool, but any information of that sort has already been taken from your mind and you have no recollection of it. Try and think of the Order."

Hermione tried to remember about where they had met. Nothing came to mind. Who was in it? Nothing. Hermione sighed with relief. Voldemort couldn't touch the Order no matter how hard he searched. All she knew about the Order was that there was one and that it was important.

"Wands at the ready." Hermione put up her wand and held it steady, not knowing how to protect herself. "Leglimens!", Voldemort shouted.

Visions were flashing past her eyes, her parents giving her sugar free candy for Christmas, studying in the library, Hagrid saying hi, seeing Harry sad, seeing Ron in obvious pain, her in the talent show when she was little, Vicktor kissing her for the first time, NO… no one was allowed to see that. Go away! She woke up rolling on the floor.

Voldemort was over her smirking at her, "You need to learn how to control your mind, be mindful of your feelings. You were rolling on the floor for almost a half hour. Concentrate."

As they stood in the wand ready position again she concentrated on her emotions, but all she felt was empty.

"Leglimens!" Her parents stood next to her when she got the principal award, empty yourself, she tried to concentrate on emptying herself, her breakfast, it was harder then it looked though, Harry and Ron in the bathroom making Polyjuice Potion, Norbert as a baby, Hagrid's brother in the forest, Dobby in the kitchens, the bullies, clear it, she tried to clear her mind again but it was impossible. Moody pointing out the door of the classroom, Ginny showing Hermione her blood, Buckbeak peaking at her heal, Vicktor coming towards her, NO!

It stopped. She was on the floor again. Hermione could have kicked herself with frustration. She had to clear her mind!

Voldemort said, "You have to control yourself, up now again."

Hermione got up with her wand at the ready, Voldemort was becoming irritated.

He started again, "Leglimens!"

She saw the bullies at school rounding on her, she saw Lupin turning into a werewolf, she saw Hagrid laughing, she saw her parents congratulating her, no stop, Hermione tried to control the images, and they slowly disappeared.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes as she stopped all the memories, peering at her. "Better. But I also want to teach you how to see into others minds." Hermione's mouth fell open slowly. She was not that good at magic; this was way past anything she had ever done. What was she suppose to do?

Voldemort smirked at her and said, "Too hard you think?"

Hermione straighted out and said, "No." She stared at Voldemort head on. His red eyes narrowed and his smirked into a smile.

"Then let's start. See how far you can really get." He was egging her on.

Hermione was determined to prove him that she wasn't stupid or weak. She narrowed her eyes and started straight his.

He chuckled and said, "Whenever you're ready." He held his wand at the ready.

Hermione wouldn't rush into this. She had to get information that was easy to get to and information she could use against him. If she got what she wanted this could play directly into her hands. She could find his thoughts about her, and prove that he didn't care about her. She might even find some hate that might prove useful.

She focused on his thoughts and what she wanted, "Leglimens!" She saw him holding her and playing with her in the crib. It didn't take long for Voldemort to get the better of her. It was like a slap to her face as she saw the pictures change to her own thoughts.

Dumbledore coming to see her in the hospital bed and Ron laughing at her, Ron making fun of her, Ron trusting her, Ron telling Snape off just for her.

She stopped those thoughts almost automatically and focused once again on what she wanted. She saw his thoughts again, her crawling towards him almost. Her holding his cloak. Her poking a dead body as a young baby. She stopped just as a new thought approached. Her mind went completely blank and her whole body went numb. She did that? How could she have possibly done that?

Good cliff hanger! Now if anyone would like for me to post another one please review and make my day! R&R! R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R! Yeah! Now another thing if anyone would like to be my Beta (I think that's what it's called) drop me a review! Yeah and thanks to one and all! IF YOU SEE ANY SPELLING MISTAKES OR GRAMMAR I'M BEGGING YOU TO TELL ME!

Thanks! Seerofsorrow!


	8. Killer

Okay Next Installment You'll love it so much I know you will. If you do hate it or love it though please do review it. Thank you to all my reiviewers. I know you'll love the next chapter, and now I am officially rambling. Okay read, enjoy, and most importantly R&R!

She heard Voldemort behind her, "Why surprised?" She almost had a crash landing effect and everything around her seemed way too real.

She couldn't stop the emotion just shaking through her being, how could she have done such a monstrous thing? What was wrong with her? She shook her head and thought no. I could not have done this. There is no way.

She felt her wrist being grabbed and then all she saw were his dark red eyes. An image of her playing with blood on the floor as a body hung from the wall, cut up and torn. No!

She threw off the image and saw his dark red eyes wide open. A raspy voice echoed in her ear, "You cannot deny the past!"

The fast rush of her heart was all she could hear as she closed her eyes. Her breath fluttered and her rough voice came out in unsteady shutters, "I… have…I… changed!", forcing it out of her finally.

She knew this was true, but something under the surface bubbled up, making her want to cry. She was confused, and yet not. She was uncertain, not knowing where to turn inside herself.

He tisked in her ear, "Ah Hermione how have you changed? You are still as powerful as I remember you."

He broke away and held her chin roughly in his palm rubbing his thumb on her cheekbone. His touch was cold almost and his red eyes grew wide in zeal.

"Hermione you still have that thirst for power, you still have that lust for knowledge of the world, you are still the little girl from long ago."

He brushed back her hair and cupped her chin in his hands. "You are still a part of me." His red eyes glinted in compulsive hope.

She shoved away from him and flew out of his grasp, but instead he held her roughly by the shoulders. Looking her straight in the eyes searching. She squirmed, but kept eye contact.

Hermione knew he was a part of her, but she was a different person from him.

"_Am I_?", said a little voice in Hermione's head. His memory of her told her otherwise, and in a way she knew he was right. She was like him, she wanted power, and she wanted to know all in order to gain power and control. She even tried to analyze her own emotions in order to assume power over herself. That's why she had always been so good at helping Ron and Harry with their girl problems.

But she was different she wouldn't kill to get what she wanted. She was different! He smiled and said, "I knew it would come down to this. I knew you would think that killing is below you and that you stood for just morals."

He let go of her and said, "I can prove you otherwise. Turn around." Hermione heard a clang and in front of her stood a muggle obviously in a business suit. He was in chains and squirmed as he screamed.

"Scilencio," whispered Voldemort. He went silent as Voldemort stood in front of Hermione with a sly smile.

"Try to release him I will kill him, try to ease his pain I will kill him, do anything other then my directions I will kill him." She stood in front of the impossible. "No…" "Yes." Came his velvety whisper. The room got cold around her. "Torture him with the Cruciatus curse." She couldn't, but his life. Everything she never wanted to do, torture, death, force were staring her straight in the eyes. "Do it or I will kill him."

"Please no."

He smirked and shrugged his shoulders, "Have it your way. Avada Kedavra!"

"NO!"

The muggle screamed, she felt a small whisper of wind and he was gone. The light almost was just snuffed right out of him. Death was a terrible and an almighty force, whisking everything away like erosion. She screamed and whimpered wishing to bring him back. She ran towards him and saw his limp body in chains. His body was still warm, but slowly going cold. Hermione screamed again out of misery.

"Screaming will not bring him back Hermione."

Hermione turned towards the cold whisper of a voice and looked at his blood red eyes.

"Why?" She whimpered holding a scrap of the muggles clothing. Forming a tight fist around the cloth.

"Because you didn't follow my directions."

"How can you kill without thought?"

"Because I must."

"Why must you! Is it because you don't feel big enough so you have to kill innocent muggles to make yourself feel big and strong!"

Hermione turned on her heels, wand pointed towards him. He smirked and before she could get her spell out he said, "Expellearmus."

Her wand flew towards him and lightly landed in his palm. He muttered and flicked towards the wall. There was another ring of chains and she heard a woman screaming her head off. The woman was already bleeding badly at her arms and she was very tattered. Hermione's blood ran cold and a part of her mind almost froze over.

"Well Hermione this one is very interesting indeed. My younger students who wish to join my league have been learning how to torture effectively. Now you can either kill her or you can send her back to a fate worse then death."

Hermione didn't know what to do. To kill the woman or not. What did the woman want, but Hermione knew if she asked the woman this question she would be sent back. Confusion ran circles in Hermione's mind and she was becoming dizzy from lack of oxygen. Hermione knew that the young death eaters could continue to torture her for quite a while. A conclusion was reached in Hermione's mind but every fiber of her body told her not to do it.

"I have no other choice I guess. Please may I have my wand back?"

"Yes." He passed her back wand and Hermione took it from him. Voldemort looked at her and grimly nodded.

She stood right in front of the woman and in a monotone shutter asked, "How do I cast the spell?"

"You must envision the end. That hollow blackness ending." Hermione imagined it quite easily and feebly put up her wand.

"You need to hold it more firmly if it's going to be quick." Hermione looked at the woman and knew what she was about to do.

Get it over with now Hermione, her brain just screamed at her. She didn't really concentrate on the woman but more of her being and just glazed over her. "Avada Kedavra!" She envisioned the end and with concentration it was soon over and the whistle of wind announced her departure from this world. When Hermione let herself actually see the woman just limp in chains. What had she done? Hermione started crying wishing she didn't have to die.

Hermione tried to stifle her cries, but she shook so that she couldn't keep herself in one place at one time. Why did she just do that? A part of her said that she had done it to save the woman from pain, and another part of her disgustedly said that it was her past catching up with her. Hermione didn't know what to think, that feeling of loss and confusion was running straight into her. All Hermione wanted to do was to run and never stop. Hermione was asphyxiated and choking on her own emotions.

"You did very well for your first kill."

Hermione felt every fiber of rage turn on Voldemort wanting to bite, kick, punch and hurt every single part of him that she could.

"My last kill." Hermione turned around and looked at him filled with hate for what he stood for. Her clutch on her wand tightened. The last time Hermione had felt even near this angry had been when she thought Buckbeak had died and she punched Draco.

Her wand flew out of her pocket, "Stupefy!"

"Expellarmus!" Voldemort beat her easily and put her wand safely in his pocket.

"You want to hurt me and you hate me. Need I remind you that you are me? So in essence to hate me is hating yourself."

"I hate you because you cause all this pain and torture. I don't cause any pain on purpose."

"Yet you just killed!"

"I killed to save."

"The lesser of two evils Hermione. You are starting to posses that short sightedness which devours men in lies."

"I did the right thing!"

"Did you really? Do you even know what the woman wanted, you claim to be so bold as to think you know what she wanted?"

"You would have killed her anyways! All I did was save her from pain!"

"Yet you killed, nothing, no matter how many reassurances you make to yourself Hermione, will change that. You took another life! Do you think for one second that the ministry would have any second thoughts about killing me?"

This thought caught Hermione off guard, and she didn't know how to respond. It was true that had Voldemort been up there she wouldn't have had any second thoughts about killing him.

"Admit it being on the good side doesn't make you any less evil then the bad side if you would so easily kill me!"

"I would kill you to protect other lives which you would so easily take!" Hermione tried to defend herself as quickly as she could.

"That's a pathetic excuse Hermione! Besides if I stopped killing do you think the wizarding world would take me back with open arms!"

Hermione didn't know how to respond and Voldemort stared leering in front of Hermione.

She didn't know what else to say so she said the statement which would hopefully stop all this stupidity, and stop Voldemort trying to convince her of his reasons. "I hate you!"

Voldemort didn't look taken aback or even slightly abashed. He just looked weary, "You don't hate me your just afraid of me." He let a small sigh escape him.

"No I hate you! You have tried to destroy my friends whom I consider family!"

"Those friends who would so easily reject you when they realized what you were. Harry rejected you as did Ron." He smiled using logic against her.

"Dumbledore didn't turn me away!" she pronounced trying to save herself.

"Dumbledore is a fool." He spat at Hermione and his anger was plain in his face.

"He is no fool he just thinks everyone deserves second chances and he doesn't judge people based on their blood or past! You can barely understand love so how can you possibly understand him!

"You just don't trust anyone because your dad ran out on you and you thought that nobody loved you. Harry didn't have any parents and had a horrible family growing up, but that didn't make him lose it! He hasn't killed his uncle yet!" Hermione raged at Voldemort with every ounce of hate she had towards him.

He was angry but more frustrated then raging. "Yet Harry has friends such as you that truly love him and I had no one. I now have followers who fear me. I finally have a position, which Harry has had since birth. Hermione I feed on hate because I never knew love until you appeared!"

Alrighty, now

Emmzi91-yeah that was kind of gross I laughed when I thought about the body making a liquidy sound when touched. I am so morbid.

Zoz34340- I LOVE YOU! YES YOU ROCK! Really? Yeah! You rock my socks, send me your email address or whatever by next review!

Tween Idol- I'm totally not telling that's for the next chapters that I have a few paragraphs of written.


	9. Refinement Classes

Okay to one and all here is my new chapter and if you hate it R&R, if you love it R&R, if you can write and are reading this chapter R&R! Yeah so I hope you like and thank you to wonderful zoz34340. Give her a hand! Cheers from an audience.

Now here is the new chapter, enjoy.

Hermione was so cold and bear. She vaguely remembered Voldemort tucking her in and kissing her cheek.

When Hermione woke up her vision was hazy. The room was well lit and she moaned awake. Ella was in the front of the fire. She was heating something up. Ella looked pleased and was merrily working on her chores and humming a small song. Hermione smiled and liked seeing such a cheerful creature.

She had killed. Her entire body went numb in disbelief. This fact soon washed over her like a cold bucket of water and she started shivering uncontrollably. She felt so confused and unsure of what she stood for anymore. His words ran in her head and all she could think was that she killed for selfish reasons. Just like him. She tried to shake herself out of it. No I killed to save that woman from torture and that is that. Or was that it? Her morals were coming into question and everything that had kept Hermione so happy over the years with Harry and Ron were floating away.

Ella after a while turned around to check on Hermione.

Ella bowed and said, "It's good to see you awake mistress." Ella just stared at Hermione.

Hermione just shook her head and smiled a little, "You can just call me Hermione."

"She most certainly cannot." Bellatrix came whirling into the room and Hermione leapt out of her bed.

All thoughts about her being a killer escaped her and she tried to shove them in a closet of her mind. Unless she did it would definitely be apparent to Voldemort's side woman. She needed to keep her tucked away, at least to the death eaters. She shoved those memories somewhere deep inside her mind.

Hermione looked suspiciously at Bellatrix, "What are you doing here?"

"You have refinement classes everyday from now on. I realized that you needed my immediate help when you appeared this morning."

Hermione looked indignantly at Bellatrix and said, "What did I do so poorly that you have decided I needed your immediate attention?"

"For one your posture is appalling, two, you need serious help with your hair, three, your cuffs weren't worn correctly."

"I'm not a slob. I do alright and what do you mean my cuffs weren't worn correctly?"

Bellatrix just tapped her foot impatiently and ticked her disproval. She took Hermione's cuffs and rolled them up by about half an inch. On the top of the cuff was a beautiful looking strip of fabric with an elaborate design in it. Hermione's drooping arms let the cuffs fall back immediately.

"You need improvement.", said Bellatrix scornfully. "Roll the cuffs back up and follow me." Hermione did as instructed and tried to keep the cuffs where they were suppose to be, but it was really hard because the fabric was so slippery.

Hermione eventually gave up keeping her normal posture and held her forearms out so that she looked like mini Frankenstein or a T-Rex.

Bellatrix opened a door and the inside was a dinning room about the size of the great hall, but it had only one long table down the middle. All sorts of decorations leered out of the shadows of the ceiling, and the table was all clear except for two place settings and an open box full of silver ware was in the middle of the two place settings. There were a few candles lighting everything. Hermione was confused what were they going to do there?

"You'll be dining with me for dinner. Please sit down."

Hermione took the chair nearest the big wooden box. Bellatrix took the seat opposite her. Hermione started inspecting the big wooden box filled with silverware.

Bellatrix cleared her throat and Hermione came back to the food in front of her. It was a spring salad and the dressing was in towards the huge box.

Bellatrix sighed and said, "Okay for starters we're going to start working on posture. Now sit up and if you start slouching I will make sure you have no food for the evening." Hermione tried to sit up and curved her back.

Bellatrix started laughing and Hermione gave Bellatrix a non-to-pleased look. Bellatrix stopped sniggering and said, "Okay you're not trying to win biggest chest award. Push your shoulders forward and move your hips forward." Hermione did this and she felt oddly stiff.

"Your waist should always be six inches away from the table." Hermione scooted her chair back from the table and had to extend her arms out a little to reach the table.

Bellatrix sighed with relief, "That's so much better. Now the first thing you do when eating is to place your wand to the left hand side. When the table is set correctly there should always be a spot for you to set it down." Hermione saw the spot and put her wand in it.

Bellatrix looked slightly happy and said, "Now we can eat. Now eating salad is the easiest yet the hardest food of all. All you need do is cut it, but don't let any of the leaves fall off the fork. I will be lineate about this at first, but if you don't catch on quickly enough I won't allow you to eat the pieces you drop."

Hermione shook her head. She was hungry enough to eat an elephant so she would try to make sure everything that was on her fork got into her mouth.

"First I have to show you how to cut salad. First take up the knife gingerly in your hand don't clutch it. Now put your finger on the bridge and your pinky should tuck neatly under the mount of your thumb." Hermione did this and felt as if the knife were about to fall out of her hand.

"Now take the fork into your hand, gingerly," she had seen Hermione trying to grip it to make sure that it stayed in her hand, "the index finger should go just above the bridge. The pinky tucks work for the fork as well." It felt like the utensils were about to slip out of Hermione's grasp.

"Now when actually cutting it's more of a wrist like movement. Let me see you do it." Hermione followed Bellatrix's example.

"Don't move you're fingers. Let them stay put where they are when cutting them. You're fingers should be immovable unless I pry them out of you're dead fingers." Bellatrix sounded exasperated. Hermione tried to get a better grasp on her silverware, but it didn't work very well. She cut to Bellatrix's satisfaction.

"Now make an equal armed cross the plate and make diagonials to that." Hermione followed Bellatrix's example.

"Now try and do it with you're salad and don't look at it. Look me directly in the eyes and continue conversation with me."

Hermione looked at Bellatrix and tried to feel her way around the plate. It took her a while and sometimes she could hear the scrape of silverware on the rim of the plate. Hermione knew it was apparent that she had fumbled around the plate.

Bellatrix sighed a little, but said, "That was alright for your first try I wouldn't expect you to have perfect table manners knowing where you've been raised and where you've eaten before. Now let's eat."

Hermione made towards the salad dressing, leaning over the table. Bellatrix gasped in horror, "Don't do that! You have a wand for a reason you silly child. Make the salad dressing come to you!"

Hermione lifted her wand and tried to think of a spell that could help her without getting the salad dressing all down her front.

Bellatrix had started to eat her salad and said, "Just say slide after accio." The rest of the salad went rather well. Hermione was taught to correctly hold a salad dressing pot and how to pour. Hermione was pleased that what seemed like hours of trying to learn the right etiquette she was allowed to eat. She took very tiny bites to make sure that she didn't drop one single leaf. The fork fell out of her fingers once and she felt very stiff. Everything was very complex and she thought this might be harder then magic.

"Now Hermione continue talking with me, and what are you trying to do make sure your salad doesn't run away? Don't stare at it as if it were living. Now what subjects do you particularly like in school?" Hermione felt stiff and wished she didn't have to do this. She didn't want to talk to Bellatrix Lestrange about her school life. Hermione continued though because she knew this was the only way she would be getting dinner tonight and she was really hungry.

The training had taken a lot of Hermione. "I did like Charms and Transfiguration."

"Well I liked Potions myself, and you're grades." Hermione tried to concentrate on the salad beneath her as she said, "I am the top witch of my class."

"Really? Well that is something to boast about. Now I'm going to tell you a few silverware rules, never switch fork and knife between hands, don't hold the fork and knife like a barbarian and never thrust your fork straight in the middle of the plate." Hermione just nodded her understanding still trying to concentrate on her salad.

"Now what after class activites do you particpate in?"

"None." This was lie, but she would rather rip out her own teeth then talk to Bellatrix about Dumbledore's Army. Hermione soon talked through the school activities and which one's went on and who headed what. Hermione got every last scrap of salad down her throat.

"Now on to the main course. We can work on the other courses later. Now this is roasted duck." At Bellatrix's words two house elves came in holding a sliver platter embracing a dark brown roasted duck.

Hermione was taught how to cut around the bone and other unwanted elements. It took forever to eat, but Hermione was soon full on duck and salad.

"Now everyday we'll go over three pieces of silverware." They went over a clear soup serving spoon and how to use it. They also went over a dinner fork and a salad fork. It was easy enough for Hermione to follow and she was soon catching on.

"We will also be going over jewelry an important trait for a woman of status. Now…" she pulled out two red colored stones one was almost like a blush cherry, clouded and one was a deep red like that of blood, glistening. The clouded one was fixed in a bracelet and the deep blood red one was large and fixed in a pendant.

"Would you like to take a guess to what these are?" Hermione honestly didn't have any idea. She didn't like jewelry and neither did her mother so she was never taught about it.

"These are both rubies of the finest quality. The one which is clouded hasn't been finished or polished obviously." Hermione just nodded her head and stared at both hypnotized by them.

"Have you remembered them well enough? That was the lesson for today. But this is for you." She put the bracelet in Hermione's palm.

"What? This is yours I can't take it."

"No. It was bought for you. Your father thought that you deserved something to welcome you and make you feel more at home. He thought you might like the Gryffindor colors."

Bellatrix nearly sneered, but shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well it's for you take it."

Hermione shoved it roughly into her pocket and decided that she would examine it closer when she got to her bedroom. She hurried out of the dinning room and back to her room.

Ella wasn't there so she took out her newfound bracelet. All the rubies were in tear droplet shape and the chain that held everything together was gold. It was truly very pretty and Hermione wanted to keep it safe so she hid it in the shelf of her bedside table. She tucked it gently into one of the corners.

She didn't understand the feelings that were running through Hermione's mind. Could he truly love someone? She even doubted he loved himself. He had made her kill though. A small voice said in her mind, yes, he had tried to make her kill, but didn't he say he was sorry. Was he truly sorry though? Maybe. Why send the gift? To make you feel more at home. Or he's trying to buy his way into your good graces.

Hmmm… Hermione knew that this type of questionnaire could go on all night. She decided that his conduct tomorrow should shed more light on who he truly was.

Hermione cried herself to rest that night and couldn't stop thinking I'm a killer. She kept hearing the woman's screams and the man's screams. She could hear his cold words in her ears. She dreamed about her blood drowning her that night.

CareBearErin- Totally made my day. I hoped someone would like my discussion between Voldie and Hermy. Thanks and you are awesome.

F75- Hope you like this chapter.

Zoz34340- Thank you once again for reading through my chapter. Lots of smiles!


	10. Cassandra

Dear Readers I'm sorry about the delay I've been doing all sorts of stuff for my junor year AHHHHHHH! Well here it is and don't be too mad at me I will have it updated soon I swear on my login name.

Chp. 10.

Hermione awoke the next morning to a pitter-pat of dishes.

"Is mistress awake?" Hermione stretched and yawned smelling the freshly made breakfast.

Hermione jumped out of bed and ran to the warm meal as soon as Ella put it down to eat trying to eat politely yet quickly. Hermione kept eating and as she was half way through her meal she felt a splitting pain that started throbbing in her temple. She tried to ignore the pain at first, but it kept stinging. Hermione groaned and shook her head, but that just made it worse.

Ella asked, "Does mistress have a headache?"

"Hmm…" Hermione groaned in the affirmative.

She felt like she was swimming and couldn't breathe. She closed her eyes trying to balance out. She really didn't need this right now.

She felt a cold goblet being shoved into her hands by Ella's tiny hands. "Here, mistress."

Hermione opened her eyes and saw a goblet made out of silver in her hands. "It will make the pain stop."

Hermione drank it all down and felt the potion freezing in her throat. Soon the tingling numb in her throat disappeared. Her mind started to clear and everything became clear. It felt like everything was in much better focus and had much sharper edges.

She slowly put the goblet down and put it on her breakfast platter. "Feeling better mistress?"

"Yes, thank you Ella. But how did you know I would have a headache?"

"Master gets them sometime."

"Who is your master Ella?" Hermione asked absent-mindedly.

"I dare not speak his name mistress."

Hermione felt uneasiness in her stomach. How did she not conceive that she was his house elf?

In an attempt to see how faithful Ella was to her superiors she asked, "Please don't call me mistress just Hermione."

"No miss I can't I don't want any trouble." Hermione hurried along with her breakfast knowing that Ella couldn't be persuaded. She was done for and she knew that she would never have friends ever in this miserable place. The one person she thought she might be able to trust was no longer available.

She finished breakfast very quickly and with her belly very full stood up and changed her robes.

Hermione stood in front of the door and asked Ella, "Will you lead me Ella?"

"No mistress I can't." A slight panic drove itself into Hermione's heart. Why wouldn't she take her?

"Please Ella?"

Ella shook her head. "Master won't allow me."

Hermione looked at the door and sighed out deeply, how was she ever to find her way through the dark hallways? And why wouldn't Voldemort allow Hermione someone to escort her? Maybe he wanted to see how lost she wold get before he had to come get her.

She knew that she had no other option she had to at least try to find her way to the meeting room. She was going to try her hardest to find her way.

The door swung open and Hermione timidly closed it behind her. She narrowed her eyes trying to see in the dark. She held her wand high and said, "Lumos."

Everything around her lit up but nothing beyond that came into view and she started feeling edgy. She quickly paced down the hallway taking a right and a left trying to remember the way Ella had showed her to go, but Hermione soon felt lost. The doors around her seemed all the same. None of this stuff looked familiar to Hermione and she knew she had lost her way.

She needed to find someone to show her the way or else she'd never find her way in this labyrinth. She tried to open the door nearest to her but it wouldn't budge. "Alohomora."

The door opened but when she entered all she found was another hallway that with lots of doors on it. How big was this place and what in the world was going on.

Hermione went back to the original hallway and closed the door and opened another. She swung open the doors and entered a large room covered in portraits. The door slammed behind her and she turned around to face the door. No one was there and as she turned around to look at the room a hand gently breezed her hair.

She wheeled around to face Voldermort with a small smirk on his face. Hermione let out a squeak. "Good morning how are you?"

Hermione was still in shock and her sentence slipped out before she could stop it. "Well besides the fact that you scared me half to death! I'm fine thanks."

Hermione closed her mouth shut as soon as she realized what she had just said. She rarely let her emotions run away with her, but with lack of descent food, sleep, and anyone to talk to Hermione had reached her breaking point. She also hated admitting that she had been afraid of him. Voldemort's face was mad and amused all at the same time.

"Well I see your emotions do leak out." It took everything Hermione had just to make sure she didn't spit in his face or curse him to oblivion.

She clenched her fists and ignored the headache, which was racing to her temples again.

"Well it seems your boiling point is harder to reach then your friends which isn't such a high compliment." Voldemort touched a twinge of fear, anger, and loneliness all at once. She sniffed in anger and just clenched her fists as hard as possible.

"Well it seems that your borders are easy to reach and I can get a response out of you easily enough. You have to learn to control your feelings, use your anger and don't cap it in."

Hermione clenched her teeth together and said, "I would rather let my emotions over run me and have a heart than be you and not have one."

"Dumbledore was the person who told me what I just told you."

"At least Dumbledore understands that emotions cannot always be under control."

"Did you ever see him express emotion?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Anger, directly at you."

Voldemort was becoming angry himself. Hermione didn't care anymore how it would make Voldemort feel now all she cared about was trying to see how he liked it when his own tactics were used against him.

"I can see it, your afraid of losing your power. All you are is scared and the only reason you have ever done anything is for more power out of fear."

"Isn't that the only way power is accumulated, fear?"

"No power should only be gathered when battles have to be fought against the malevolent."

"But then again that's fear of the malevolent isn't it?" Hermione was not prepared for fighting a battle with Voldemort over the definition of evil and the nature of fear. If she stopped this battle now she could come back later and live to fight another day and regain her pride. Or at least that's what she told herself.

She growled in a hushed voice, "What may I ask is the lesson for today?"

Hermione felt surprised, he twitched his cloak in annoyance. What did he want from her! His emotions sometimes seemed so over controlling yet when she submitted he became angry.

"This is a labyrinth that I created last night and when you walked out of your room this morning you started wandering about it. Sometimes you'll reach doors that lead to other hallways and sometimes you'll encounter a dilemma that I have set up for you.

There's another trick to this shadowed area. I will be following you and attacking you at random moments throughout the obstacle course. I will give you a 3-minute head start. You may begin."

He said this all in a very calm translucent voice and gave a look of satisfaction in her direction and the message couldn't be clearer; I will beat you.

Hermione was sure he would but she was determined not to lose her cool or make any major mistakes. She took herself onto a random hallway and took another and another until she reached the inside of a dark room. She didn't dare close the door behind her because she could hear the heavy breathing through narrow nostrils.

"Lumos!" Hermione didn't try to think and reacted on instinct. It was a Toros tat had long horns and big black eyes like a well. It was groaning in pain and looking at her. She didn't even think and backed up as fast as she could. She jiggled the handle to the door, but it wouldn't open. She grabbed her wand and stared straight at the Toros in front of her. It was coming fast as she thought of all her books, thinking of Toroses. Close enough to see its outline she could see it's eyes smoking and it's nose ring glint.

Random pages flitted before her. P. 93 horns are too heavy, only way to relieve pain is to rape people, sensitive spot the crotch. How to kill? Star charts came to mind. No. Too big and thick to kill. Stopping flow of sperm would kill them.

Hermione panting raised her wand, "Stupefy." The Toros had become a breath away from her. Her aim had been direct and the Toros was slow to crumple on the ground. Hermione needed an exit unsure of how long the spell would last.

She moved around her want lit and just as she had found it Voldemort came crashing through.

God Damn this man, "I hoped shoving you in here would have made your reaction time faster."

Fuck you came to mind, but Hermione kept her temper and attempted to stun him. He put out a shield in one fluid movement and quickly retaliated back.

Hermione put out a poor shield, but was kept safe. He pointed his wand at the Toros and was able to wake it up pretty fast.

Voldemort gave out a chuckle of disbelief, "Come on Hermione show me what you've got."

Hermione whipped out her wand as fast as she could and disabled the Toros. Voldemort sent a curst her way in the mean time that she tried to deflect to some effect. While Voldemort tried to enable the Toros again she sent a curse his way that bounced off a shield he easily produced.

Voldemort sent a curse her way that she dodged. The Toros was right behind her and she pulled some very fast spell work by dodging the Toros and stunning it. All of this was done so quickly Hermione as amazed at herself.

She ran from the Toros and blocked a curse sent by Voldemort. Panting she dodged until she got to the door and screamed at it as panic flooded her system, "Alohamora." It burst open and she slammed it closed behind her. She ran as fast as she cold through hallways closing all doors behind her. She felt her robe bellowing behind her and prayed Voldemort wouldn't find her.

She didn't realized at first when she closed the door that something was in this room. A pair of golden eyes looked at her though the darkness. Hermione lit her wan and turned around to see a baby leopard, a Nundus.

Oh god, she was dead, all the diseases it was emitting was already killing her. She couldn't think her brain froze. A bubblehead charm came out of her mind. She fumbled with her wand and expertly cast the charm.

The leopard came closer to her trying to smell her. It twitched its tail in curiosity. Hermione was frozen in fear if she attempted to fight it her delicate bubble might burst and she would die. A touch at her shoulder shocked her and she turned around to see Voldemort's face.

Damn his man, how had he followed her! And how could he be so old no to have a bubblehead charm? "Her name is Cassandra, she's yours to keep. I had hoped you would find her today." Hermione felt like laughing in rage. "You've got to be ballistic! This is a Nundus. It will kill me the minute I take off his bubble head charm!"

"No she's not toxic. I clipped her you could say and she belongs to you." He popped the bubble as Hermione tried to find the truth in his face.

He looked her straight in the eye and said, casually, "Your quit safe."

The cat took a step toward Hermione smelling her hand. Hermione cautiously patted her head looking at her happy curious eyes. Cassandra stood next to her and twitched a lot. She liked Hermione's patting and purred. Hermione liked Cassandra maybe this was the friend she most desperately needed.


	11. Continuing Maze

To my faithful reviewers thank you. Life has been crazy, crazy. After finals I finally got the chance to write these two chapters and we are half way through the story. Woo Hoo!

Miss-Be-Haven- Thanks for the review and sorry for the spelling error Avery-Rose-Rain-Slytherin-Forgot about that detail, left crookshanks at school Selena Kikkowa- Thank you and cool signature The evil potions mistress- I like your name and thanks Princess Leia Skywalker 10- yeah, I'm in the band too. Oh so busy. Care Bear Erin- Once again you make the sunshine on my day. I hope you like these new Chapters. Yeah the seclusion thing sort of worked and so did something a little extra.

"Now shall we continue?" He snaked his way behind her. Hermione sighed what was she going to do there was no way she could keep an eye on Cassandra and fight the maze at the same time.

"Will she follow me?"

Voldemort sniggered, "Yes and no."

Hermione merely glared at Voldermort. She was not impressed with the riddle.

"Let's continue," and with that he slipped out of the door and closed it on Hermione.

She looked around and found two other doors on her left and right. She took the door that lead to her left. What she found made her want to back up into another room. It was two death eaters who were about to pounce on her.

Her wand started flashing with every kind of spell she could think of. They dodged them but not as easily as Voldermort had. Her shields actually protected her. She got one out for the count finally and the other ran away through another door. She took the opposite door and ran into a room filled to the top with potions of every size and shape. She tried to light her wand but it wouldn't come on.

This is what she was anxious about. There were spells powerful enough to make all spell work stop. She was defenseless. This might be the chance to sit and think awhile though before journeying back out again though.

Cassandra was still nearby making herself comfortable as Hermione scratched her back.

The main question going through Hermione's head was if there was a way out of here. There had to be that was the whole point of a maze. Problem was that she didn't even understand the perimeter of this maze or for that matter where she actually was inside the maze.

She thought to back to where she had come from. Event hat didn't help though she had no idea where she was. What she needed was a map, but no such thing existed. So she was stuck inside this place until Voldermort decided that he had had enough fun for the day.

Well she needed to keep on going that much she knew because if she didn't keep moving eventually someone would find this room and destroy a neutrality zone that might help her in the future.

She got up and Cassandra followed her. She took a door to the left and opened it with her wand ready.

Inside the room it seemed there was nothing in it. She knew it wasn't an empty room. There had to be a trick and then she saw Voldermort standing on the other side of the room.

"Now let's see what pushes your limits. Legimens!"

She saw Transfiguration class, a troll standing over her, she saw Snape telling her off, books mounds and mounds of books in the library. She stuck with that memory and didn't let go. She stuck to books she knew, antidotes. She kept thinking about antidote theories from her memory.

She opened her eyes and forced herself up off the ground. Voldemort was looking at Hermione curiously. "So that's what your passion in life is to read."

Shakily she got up and said, "Yes."

"Why books?"

"Because I like knowing more then others when they try to shove me around."

"Hmm… the ones who shove you were muggle bullies?"

She couldn't let this peace of information slip, this could be considered as hate. Hermione knew better though it was merely for protection. She had to be able to defend herself or she would have disappeared. Books gave her that power to defend herself.

"Yes and no. It was also bullies at Hogwarts who kept calling me mudblood. Just knowing that I was better then them was enough I didn't have to prove it. "

"So that's how you became top of your class you read."

"Yes."

Voldemort looked very angry and frustrated. "I wish you would have learned through experience as well."

"I fought off your death eaters well enough."

"True but you are not quick enough time is always of the essence as is stealth. You need to get in and get out."

"Time is never of the essence when you are righteously defending."

"It is when you're out numbered."

Hermione looked around the room and I saw what was on the edges cloaked figures standing on the edges of the room. You couldn't see them unless you concentrated hard.

She saw one of them and sent a curse flying across the room. It was easily blocked and about ten full-grown wizards came out of the shadows sending curses in her direction.

Hermione concentrated and sent stunning spells in every direction. They were blocked and all sorts were being flung at me. I tried to shield and attack at the same time. Hermione's wand went flying with a well-placed expellearmus.

They were closing in on her and she was afraid of what might happen to her.

"You need to be aware of your surroundings and how to learn to do things quickly." Voldemort spat at her. He had no pity for her and she was in serious trouble.

Snarling on the edge of the circle made her look up it was Cassandra on top of one of the death eaters. Hermione ran towards the distraction and cracked through the circle.

Cassandra ran after her as Hermione fled for her life. She grabbed Cassandra and flung her into the room before her. The room was quite and dark she felt along the edges and didn't feel anything, she also didn't hear anything. She had to trust this room because she needed a room that might be safe to attack one of the death eaters. She cloaked herself and put up her head so that she disappeared into the darkness next to the door.

"The darkness is becoming your friend isn't it? It can be helpful." It was Voldemort she didn't even flinch she was getting so used to him. She ignored him she needed to survive first before she thought about ethics and morals. She heard him leave.

A minute passed and a death eater burst inside the room with a partner. Hermione was quite and tried to move with the fluidity of the room. The death eaters didn't see her and once they split up she quickly moved to choke one of them so she could have a wand. The choking was harder then it looked the death eaters neck was thick and he made noise. His partner started cursing every section of wall Hermione backed up into the wall. The death eater quickly weakened and Hermione grabbed his wand. She quickly stunned him and put up a shield for the attack that was soon going to be coming at her from the other death eater.

The curse hit her too fast and her shield only partially protected her. It cut her on the leg and she let out a gasp of pain. She stunned the death eater before he got within a foot of her.

She kept herself cloaked and threw both death eaters into a corner of the room so that they wouldn't be seen.

She ran to the opposite door with her wand at the ready. There was no death eater in this room. She needed to take the death eaters out or she would lose their confusion and they would be back in full force. She was sweating and was tired but if she got rid of the death eaters she could rest without pressure of threat. Her leg was aching and still bleeding. She performed a mending spell but it didn't really help with the pain it just stopped the bleeding. She had to keep going despite the pain.

She backtracked to the room where she had been cornered. There were two death eaters still there. They had their backs turned to her and she slipped along the wall so that they wouldn't see her. Another death eater came out from another door. "She's not there."

Another death eater sibilated, "Keep looking for her."

"There looking for you what are you going to do Hermione?" It was Voldemort taking a fake pity tone.

Hermione had to think should she take these leader death eaters first or the smaller ones?

She would take out the leaders while she had the element of surprise on her side and wait for the others to come to her.

This needed to be done quickly and with subtlety. She quickly stunned one and then the other before they could make any noise. She tossed them into the shadows of the room. She put up her cloak as far as it would go and waited for the others. Her wand was at the ready under her cloak. She tried to make the anxiety in her stomach subside.

A man with his hood off came towards Hermione saying, "I can't find her anywhere. "I've stunned each room…" He started to look at Hermione and before anything else happened she stunned him. He was out like a light and he was put near the edges of the wall.

Hermione didn't have to wait long before another tweedy looking man came through one of the doors. He took about a two-second glance at Hermione before brandishing his weapon.

She was quick enough to put up a shield so that she didn't get hit. She tried hitting him but he put up a shield just as easily. He about to attack again before she hit him with the leg locker curse and was able to stun him soon after.

Okay six down four to go. She waited for the others hoping that she hadn't blown her cover. When the next death eater came in she knew she had. The other three followed behind her. She backed into the original room hoping that they would either break up or all follow her.

The room was still dark and she quietly slipped inside and waited. This time though they all lit up their wands and she had absolutely no element of surprise. She had to get rid of them all quickly. She stunned one with his back to her. The other three advanced on her and she had no idea how to get out of this situation. She could dissaperated but she wouldn't trust herself with doing that under this type of pressure. Harry was the one who was good at this type of situation.

She cursed the second death eater in a rage that broke through his shield. She was angry with Harry for not being here. For Ron also not being here, she missed them so much and wished that they could cheer for her as she these fought these guys.

She only had two to fight against. She was willing to play chicken to get rid of these people and to have time just to think and cry a little bit. She put up a very strong shield and went directly between the two death eaters. She ducked and put down her shield at just the right moment. They hit each other and Hermione out of breath limped over to the door that held all the potions.

They were all lined alphabetically she found what she was looking for and she felt so much better when she had put some salve on her leg. It burned and stung, but it was a welcoming sensation.

Cassandra came into the room a little while later and sat near her. Hermione started crying she missed everyone and wanted to go back to the castle. She clung to Cassandra and felt her lick her face with her sand paper tongue.

"Anger, a powerful weapon Hermione as you saw why not use it? You're battling against yourself Hermione, why? Why fight it?" He whispered it to that it made the hairs on the end of ears stand up. Her skin tightened on the back of her neck and a shiver went through her torso. Why was he bothering her? She was doing what he wanted she was trying to complete his maze. Just ignore him just like at school. He left in a sweep of his cloak.

Once the wound had healed and she had stopped crying Hermione started thinking. She needed a master plan for getting out of here. The death eaters seemed to know where they were so her plan was to get some Versatrium Serium and use that to get some answers.

Hermione got up and went into the next room to find one of the head leaders she had taken out. Before she woke him up she made sure that a wand was completely out of his reach and that he was securely strapped to a wall. She put two drops on his mouth and woke him up.

Hermione tried a test question, "Can you hear me?"

"Yes." He was young with nutmeg colored hair and a very pale face.

"Oh. Good. You're inside Voldemort's lair. Where is the exit?"

"You're standing on it."

"Oh and how do I open the exit?"

"You have to dissaperate to wherever you want to go inside the dark manor from here."  
"Okay thank you."

"You're welcome."

Hermione hesitated and wanted to ask another question that was way out of bounds but she had to know, "Why does Voldermort want me to be his heir?"  
"Because you're his daughter."

"Yes I know but why not another death eater."  
"The Dark Lord trusts no one. You're his blood and he loves you."

She sighed and said, "But I don't love him."  
"You will learn to. I did. After my training I couldn't imagine a better leader."

"I wish I could believe that, but see my leader is already the best there is and he's Albus Dumbledore. Why do the death eaters fear him so?"

"Because our master hates him."

"So?"

"Our master hates no one, disappointed yes but not hate."

Hermione let this thread of conversation go. She didn't need to understand the death eaters all she needed to understand was that they were her enemy.

"Thank you."

She stunned him again. "Come on Cassandra lets get out of here."

She gripped tight to Cassandra and saw her big inviting room in her mind. She dissaperated straight onto her bed. She felt so lost she tried to call on the roots the unicorn had given her. They were gone; the roots she had been so hoping to keep. She cried while Cassandra tried to comfort her. She curled up and went to sleep.


	12. Reflection

When she woke up Ella was prodding her. "Mistress wake up Miss Bellatrix is here to see you."

Hermione moaned the last person she wanted to deal with right now was Bellatrix. She didn't feel like being stiff, and being told how to be a lady. A shock went straight through her and she was up. Hermione turned around to see her wand out pointing at Hermione.

"I swear I thought you would have had it easy. At least you get to sleep when I was in training I never got to sleep."

Hermione didn't need this right now. She curled up her cuffs and stood like a Frankenstein so that the cuffs didn't fall.

"Now you just look ridiculous. Don't let your arms fall to your side just tuck them in with level arms."

She followed Bellatrix's examples. She didn't feel like doing this but she was going to have to.

"Now into the dinning room." Hermione followed and tried to have proper posture at the table.

"Good, but you kept slouching yesterday, so you will be tied into these." Bellatrix held up belts. "My mother did this for me when I was little. Now I'm going to slid you six inches away from the table." Hermione would have to use her wand to eat at this rate. For her to put her wand to the left Hermione had to stretch herself all the way out to put her wand on the table.

"Now here is the salad. We're adding another course so your salad is much smaller. This is a classic Waldorf salad and I will forgive your first drop of a walnut. Now continue talking with me."

I tried holding the silverware the right way and tried to remember how to cut a salad. Bellatrix corrected me along the way.

"You keep dropping your elbows. Ella is going to help me every time you drop your elbows she will smack you with a ruler."

"Now here comes the fruit. This is classic a green-brown pear, apple slices, and grapes. The grapes you eat one at a time and you eat them whole. The apple slices you cut in threes and the pear you slice down the center cut into quarters then slice into thirds. You eat after you cut don't cut then eat."

"So who are your friends in school?"

Did she really want to know this? By the way she was staring at Hermione it was apparent she did. Ella smacked her elbow. By this time she felt like a marionette.

"Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

Bellatrix did not seem shocked nor offended, "No girl friends?"

Hermione thought for a moment and then said, "Ginny Weasley."

"What did you two discuss?"

Hermione thought for a moment and realized how to help Harry defeat Voldermort was not a wise answer.

"We talked about class assignments and rumors that floated around the school. We generally believed that they were all false."

Bellatrix smirked and said, "They always are dear."

"Hermione needed to change the subject away from her. "Who were your friends at Hogwarts?"

"Lucious, Knott, Crouch, I had girlfriends but I can't even remember their names."

Hermione took note of how easily she deflected the question.

"So has Ginny had any boyfriends?"

"Yes, several before her… current boyfriend."

She had nearly said Harry. That would have been a disaster. That's the last thing she needed Voldermort knowing.

Bellatrix kept looking at Hermione, "Which is who?"

"Oh I think Rodger something." Bellatrix let the matter go though she knew I was lying.

"Are she and Rodger steady yet?"

"Almost there."

Hermione was lying thought her teeth, and she was grateful that she couldn't read minds.

"And you?"

"One and only one. Victor Krum."

Definitely no need to mention Ron.

"Why him?"

"He asked me to the Yule Ball and I accepted. He was very sweet and the summer at his house was wonderful but he was never Mr. Right."

"Understood. Now here comes the wine I'm going to teach you about red wine tonight along with the entrée."

Bellatrix taught Hermione how to eat quail and how to taste wine. She also taught Hermione how to exit the dinning room. The new silverware for the night was a sherbet spoon, escargot holder, and an escargot fork. The jewel for the night was a sapphire. It was gorgeously set with a pure with spot in the middle called a star.

"Now Hermione you need dancing lessons so, your father is going to teach you to dance. Hermione looked alarmed, "Well you must learn to dance and I can't do the man's part." Bellatrix left with a little bow to Voldemort on the edges of the room. The tables where cleared immediately and Voldemort moved to the center of the room. "Come along." Hermione slowly reached out and felt him for the first time. He felt of ice on a frozen lake. She was drowning in the ice when she stared into those red eyes, she felt so cold.

He waved his wand and music started playing. "Now this is much easier for a lady just follow me. It's a three step." He forced her feet to follow his and eventually she made progress. She accidentally stepped on his feet. He stepped on hers when she didn't move the right way. He apologized and she laughed, "It's alright."

We continued dancing, "That is the first time I've ever heard you laugh."

He laughed a real laugh. Hermione smiled and said, "That's the first time I've heard you laugh."

They both smiled and for the first time Hermione smelled him. He had a scent of old books, ink and a cool smell of almost a breeze. He smelt of fresh air on a winter day. She almost felt a happy calm reach the bottom of her stomach. The music stopped and Voldemort slipped from her. He offered Hermione his arm. She took it very loosely and followed his lead to her room.

She slowly smiled to herself and said, "I bet you didn't think I would be able to take out all of those death eaters did you?"

He smirked and said, "I knew you could but I didn't know if you knew it."

Hermione lightly giggled and said, "It turned out I was wrong, but I'm kind of glad I was wrong."

Hermione turned to look at him. He was happy. It was a tiny spark that was like the glowing embers in a dying fire. They stopped in front of Hermione's door. She turned to look at him he was happy and he tightened his grip on her. He was hopeful, for what? He wanted her hope as well? He took her head in his hand; his touch was cool and sharp without definite edges. And then he smiled at her, she felt that glowing along his skin. She didn't know how to handle this situation. She bolted and quickly slammed the door behind her.

"Please give in Hermione. I know that you felt me like I felt you. I trust you and I wish you would trust me. Please just give in Hermione." With that Voldemort left.

She was breathing like she had just run a 10-kilometer race. She wasn't ready for this. How could she trust him? The greater question was how could he trust her? He who knew what blood relations could do to one another? Did it really matter what he thought as long as he trusted her? Wasn't that enough? If she trusted him back what did that mean? She started crying she was so frustrated and confused.

She looked at herself in the mirror, was he really there in her? If she was his and she was willing to accept that was she evil? She breathed in and out and took out her ruby bracelet, trying to think of what he meant to her. She looked at herself in the reflection of the giant ruby. There were chunks missing in the reflection. Then she realized a really scraggily part of her hair was gone. She looked back at the mirror, maybe that's what Hogwarts taught her she had to only see the part of her she wanted to see. Hadn't she always been envious of the purebloods wishing she were one of them so she wouldn't have been so put under? Wasn't she ambitious? Didn't she have a dark side? They why would the sorting hat have put her in Gryffindor? Because she hadn't been envious of others blood and things they could do that she couldn't. Ambitions is tinted green with envy. She took a breath and let go trying to fall asleep.

When she woke up breakfast was a blur. Everything that happened from Ella leading her down the hallways to the Death eater's angry comments and challenges, Voldemort flowing in the room with all coy, the death eaters leaving, then came the moment.

She exhaled and let go. She looked him straight in the red eyes that were smoldering with a spark only she could see. She reached his mind and felt hope with a shadow of sadness come across her very core. She let go and breathed, she threw her arms around him. She hugged him.

She breathed in that smell of changing weather and felt his presence overwhelm her. He was thin, but he felt so strong. Slowly he put his arms around her and his put his head on to top of her. He backed up and craned his neck to look at her eyes.

She backed up looked at him and a feeling went up with a thought for him. I'm trying.

Hermione smiledand said, "Shall we continue?"

If you love me, if you hate me, if you love Ricky Martin, if you hate Ricky Martin, ( I don't know why I said that)review! R&R R&R R&R R&R!


	13. Princess Iola

Hi readers, I'm sorry I haven't written in a REALLY, REALLY long time but now that I'm a senior I do what I want. Thanxs for you're patients.

Hermione woke to the penetrating smell of hazelnut cream which was probably even now being poured by Ella into a small coffee pot filled with a musky odor of dark coffee. The warm comforters pressed all around her as she tried to get out of bed. It was relatively easy getting out of bed now. She had gotten to the routine in the castle, wake up early, study, lessons with Voldemort, lessons with Bellatrix, sleep. She was now use to the very little sleep she got while being here.

The rug felt warm and comforting under her feet. She threw on her silky bathrobe that poured over her skin. She couldn't stand silk slippers though no matter how hard she tried to wear them even Bella said it was pointless of trying to make her wear slippers after she fell down six times in one lesson. Hermione drifted along the slight up currants of the morning breeze. On a small silver tray with ornate leafy patterns sat a small coffee service.

Hermione delicately poured out her hazelnut coffee into her small cup. She put it calmly on a saucer and started to pour another cup of coffee when the Dark Lord entered the room. His cloaked swirled around him and Hermione thought to herself, Always has to enter with flare. The Dark Lord smiled at her as if to say why yes I do.

The first time the Dark Lord did this she promptly screeched in his ear and dropped the coffee pot and the mug. He sighed outward and asked why Hermione had been screeching instead of pulling out her wand and muttering a hex. Hermione sighed, why hadn't she pulled out her wand? Bellatrix had put him to it, she had said that no matter what else was going on that Hermione was to focus only on pouring the tea or coffee and she'd be testing Hermione's concentration in the future. Bellatrix then asked the Dark Lord to inconveniently pop in. They had been having regular visits ever since and although Hermione would never admit it to anyone she did like these regular visits. She liked having time to talk to her father without the death eaters listening in.

She handed him his cup of coffee and he took it and smelled the contents carefully. Hermione understood the motion as checking for potions inside the drink. Hermione herself had learned to do this and was now even able to tell when some of the cleverest poisons were in her drink, but she still knew that not all poisons were detectable. She smelled her own. Voldemort one night at dinner with Bellatrix had put poison in the sweet cakes. She promptly started to suffocate, at that moment Voldemort administered an anidote which saved her. She waited until the Dark Lord began to sip his drink and she started drinking hers. She had learned these agreeable manners all on her own from watching Bellatrix at meal times.

Voldemort smiled with content, "Are you ready for the trials?"

Hermione smiled, "If I'm not ready now I'm not sure when I will be."

He smiled, she had learned to evade answers and it had really become quite a useful skill.

He delicately said, "This is you're last night in the castle."

Hermione smiled at him, "I will miss it here."

"I know you will, what will you do with all you're free time while you are away?" He asked with a slight tease to his voice.

"Oh I don't know," replied Hermione, "sleep, read a little bit, memorize everything you taught, life will seem kind of tame after this."

Voldemort smiled, "Oh no the fun has just begun especially after tonight."

Hermione's automatic response was to go blank, but she really wanted to wince. She was being initiated into the inner circle of death eaters tonight and she wasn't sure if she was ready. It seemed like a rather large step and if it meant hurting her friends she wasn't quite sure she would be able to follow through. She knew she could do this, but she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to.

Voldemort lifted his eyebrows, "You wish to turn back?"

Hermione sighed, "Even if I could I can't. I want to be with the death eaters you know that but if it comes to killing my friends I can't."

She could sense his agitation as he said, "Friends who don't even stand behind you when they learned you're true parentage?"

Hermione sighed again. This was one of those things the Dark Lord would never be able to understand. "I forgive them for being so frightened and scared. I will join the death eaters, but only to save you're life when you ask for my help in doing so. I will not kill Harry, but so long as I am near you I will not let him kill you."

Voldemort nodded his head. Although he didn't understand Hermione's loyalties he had to accept them as what she wanted and he could not force her to do what she could not and would not do. Hermione knew that if called to make a choice between Harry and Voldemort she could not choose but she would do her best to make sure that neither of them ended up dead. It's the only thing she could promise her father.

Voldemort carefully put his saucer and mug down on the tray and said, "Until tonight then. Rookwood will be up to retrieve you at seven o clock. Be ready and waiting." The Dark Lord then vanished into thin air.

Hermione continued to sip her coffee and ate her croissant in silence. She was thinking about the night to come and what was expected of her. It was like pre exam gitters except much worse at least on an exam you had a piece of paper that you could study from but now she was facing a test that Hermione was afraid that she wasn't ready for and wouldn't really ever be ready.

She took a shower, then went down to the library hoping that reading would quite her nerves. She sat in a stiff backed chair, but couldn't concentrate on the book she was reading. An annoying question kept coming to the surface of her mind, was she ready? Hermione couldn't help but think of the worst case scenarios such as the Dark Lord dismissing her with a sigh saying there was no way she could be a death eaters. She also imagined having to battle with Voldemort one on one. That she would never pass. She would never be as skilled as he was at dueling. Hermione, your being silly, she told herself, surely if Crabbe and Goyle could past the test then she could. Maybe it had to do with how much of a debt the death eaters owed Voldemort, to insure loyalty?

Hermione couldn't help thinking that tonight was the last night in the castle and how much she was going to miss it. She liked it's dark changing hallways and the giant library that kept her entertained as she read about the dark arts. She told herself it was all theory based although she knew that for Voldemort it wasn't. He probably tried all the experiments in the multitude of books that she had read, but truly she didn't mind as much anymore. That was Voldemort, she didn't want to mutilate her body just to see what she could do, but he was curious. Through all of her time with Voldemort she had learned to appreciate him as a great wizard, she still condemned the terrible things he did to people; actually Voldemort and Hermione had arguments still about the torture and murder of others. But she understood that he was powerful and no one could argue against that. She appreciated his knowledge, but she saw the dark side and she still didn't like what she had seen.

At that moment Cassandra walked in with a slight staggered, she had just returned from a hunt. Cassandra crawled up onto Hermione's lap and started to purr Hermione smiled and she stroked the back of Cassandra's now massive head. She had taught Cassandra to keep close by and if Hermione ever called for her she was there within 15 minutes.

Cassandra had kept Hermione company while Voldemort had been away for a week. He wouldn't tell Hermione what he had been doing, but she pleased him when she told him how much reading she had finished. He looked exhausted and Hermione became immediately worried. She sat next to him in the library as he asked questions about the books making sure that she had read and understood every detail. She answered precisely and after the questionnaire was satisfactorily complete he picked other books off the shelves and told her to read them before she went to bed. She took the books and as he stared into her eyes she tried to perform Legilimens to see just how tired he was. His guard was down for only for a second, but she could still feel how exhausted both his mind and body were and how depleted he was.

His shields came back up at once and he nodded saying, "You're getting better." He left the library and silently closed the door. Hermione needn't have worried he came back the next morning with no obvious fatigue and try as she might to get into his mind she couldn't. Then he promptly devastated her in a duel for a morning work out.

Cassandra rolled over as Hermione began to rub her belly. Voldemort hated this behavior and said that it was unfit for a cat of her breed. He looked at Cassandra one day while Hermione scratched between her ears as she purred, "You're acting like a common borehound."

Hermione didn't mind this behavior though, she actually encouraged it. She liked treating Cassandra like a beloved pet rather then a servant.

Hermione could feel her scoot so that she could get a better rub. Hermione decided to try and get another book. She started to read and immediately put the book down and she started to meander between the bookshelves. Try as Hermione might she just couldn't shake off the feeling of anxiety and as she paced the library Cassandra sat on the couch looking at Hermione as if to say, "You're being stupid." Hermione looked up at the clock it was only one o'clock. She sighed inwardly, so much time to kill. Hermione sat back down on the chair and tried to sleep, but she couldn't.

Cassandra moved toward the door and stared at Hermione as she sat by the door as if to say, "Come on." Cassandra sometimes lead Hermione out of the castle and out onto the grounds. She enjoyed the time she spent with Cassandra mingling in gardens filled with honking daises. Hermione knew she was had to be in her bedroom by 4:30 in order to get ready in time, Bellatrix's orders. But another part of her wanted to escape the anxiety, she needed a distraction.

Hermione followed Cassandra as she moved out the door and into the winding and ghostly hallways. She had found out from Ella why she couldn't move in the hallways. "They are jinxed," she squeaked. "They are only visible to those with the mark!"

Hermione put herself extremely close to Cassandra as she made her way down finally they came to a door that even Hermione could in the twisting darkness. Cassandra opened it and Hermione stepped into sunlight. She was blind practically as her eyes tried to adjust to the sunlight. As her eyes adjusted she looked around at an unfamiliar garden. This didn't really surprise her considering that the grounds were even more extensive then the castle according to Ella.

It was a small courtyard with trees around the edge with beautiful flowers growing along the ancient bark. The flowerbeds were staggered like a stadium and were beautiful as they clung to each other for support. To the far left was a small bed of roses. Cassandra climbed up a tree to sulk in the sunlight. Hermione took a closer look at the bed of roses and as she drew level her mouth practically dropped open. They were Ebony roses. A very rare magical find and very difficult to raise. They were used only in the most powerful glamour potions. Hermione didn't dare touch the flowers knowing how deadly just one prick of the finger could potentially become. As she looked around the garden she saw all kinds of deadly plants around, despite it's pleasant look. There was Devil's Snare plus a Tantulus Tantila. Cassandra just purred next to Hermione.

Hermione wanted out of this garden, this was nothing like the garden with the honking daises. But when Hermione turned around for the door, but there was none. She looked all along the high white wall. She tried to think of all kinds of spells, but the door was simply gone. She was stuck in this deadly garden until she could find a way out of here. Hermione kept her cool as she had been trained and looked at the garden ahead.

There were high walls, which she knew had been spelled so that she couldn't get out. Hermione looked all along the walls looking for an exit on the other side of the garden she saw an arch. It was about 40 meters from where she stood and on it were ebony roses. The only way to rob an ebony rose of it's power was to feed it love. She looked around at the more welcoming plants surrounded by the deadly looking ones. There was a love potion she could make, but she knew it would take at least two days to complete. She didn't have that kind of time.

She looked at Cassandra with a glare in her eyes. "What have you gotten me into?" Hermione breathed out. Cassandra wouldn't have led her here if she couldn't get out. To utter the words of your true love was supposedly enough in some legends. She sighed, how on earth was she suppose to know who here true love was?

She automatically thought of her adoptive-parents. Somehow she didn't think that they were it though. Harry? She strongly doubted it, even though he was here friend he didn't love him like that. Voldemort? She really liked the man who was her father, but her feelings for him were somewhat muted since he wasn't the feely touchy type. Ron… was the only guy she truly loved.

Hermione knew that he was it, but she did look around to make sure that it was only Cassandra who was with her when she collected spit on her tounge and uttered Ron Weasley in a low whisper. She spit on the ground, and the ebony roses started to wilt immediately. The door opened and she entered into an even more beautiful garden thankfully with no dangerous plants. She started to wander in and out of the beautiful plants that grew here. She smelled all kind of flowers, including ones that made her giggle uncontrollably, and just enjoyed a long stroll in the garden. She walked back up the castle with the smell of sunshine and pollen still on her.

Cassandra led her back to the castle with a quiet stroll. Hermione was technically suppose to be in the library. Hermione opened the door to her room and saw Ella standing near the fire working on her dress. Hermione yawned as Ella fanned out her dress. Hermione looked at the ornate dress with a delicate weave on the bodice, it was gorgeous. Although Hermione had been taught all about proper form and manners in a ballroom situation she had never actually experienced one inside the castle. It was rather strange realizing she was going to be wearing that dress soon. Hermione looked up at the clock in her room to realize it was almost five o'clock. She was doomed, Bellatrix had made it perfectly clear that she was to have a good wash along with proper drying techniques there was no way that Hermione would be able to get it all done in time.

She turned to Ella, "I really need you're help Ella."

"What do you need mistress?"

"I need a bath drawn immediately while I get all of my stuff together for a good bath. Don't worry about the dress at the moment, you can figure that out while I take a bath."

"You're bath is already drawn mistress, Mistress Bellatrix is waiting for you in the bathroom."

"I thought that no one was to see me before tonight."

"My Lord said that it was alright if Mistress Bellatrix attended you."

Hermione rushed into the bathroom and pulled open the door. Before Hermione closed it however Cassandra decided to come in. She curled up next to the sink as she watched Bellatrix give Hermione the evil eye.

"Why in heavens name are you so late?"  
Hermione gave Cassandra a look of oh ha-ha. Cassandra gave her a look of yes this is rather funny.

Hermione sighed, "I ran into some problems."

Bellatrix looked at her waiting for the rest of the story, but Hermione just stared back at her.

Bellatrix sighed, "I can figure out where you were later, but right now I need you in the bath."

Hermione felt weird undressing in front of Bellatrix, but did as she was told. The bath was warm and soothing, but after a while even the warm bath water couldn't make her feel better. Every inch of her skin was scrubbed down with a jinxed wash cloth so that it felt almost raw. Hermione cleaned under her finger nails while Bellatrix got rid of her calluses. Her hair was scrubbed twice to make sure that every inch was washed. She felt raw all over. She got out of the bathtub and wrapped a robe around herself.

The minute she was out of her bath Hermione was dumped with some sort of oil. It felt really weird as it spread over her head, her hair started going every which way. "This is my own recipe for hair care, it'll make sure that when we do you're hair everything will stay in place."

Once her hair had finished it's strange liveness, Bellatrix thrust a bottle into Hermione's hand. "Now you're going to go out there and put as much lotion on your body as it will take, while I take a bath. I will be out in a minute."

Hermione teetered out of the bathroom and started adding liberal amounts of lotion. By the time Hermione was done Bellatrix came out with her hair up and perfectly curled, with her undergarments on.

"You look amazing."

"Thank you. Now let's get to work, I need to powder you so take off your robe."

Hermione did as she was told and Bellatrix pulled out her wand and doused Hermione with talcum powder. There was an even coat of shine over her whole body.

"Good, now I think everything minus paint is ready to go for you're body, you shaved this morning?" Hermione nodded her head grateful that she remembered.

"Alright I think a dark forest green will do well for you're feet." She flicked her wand in the direction of Hermione's feet and they were instantly covered in a smooth coat of paint. "French for the nails." Another flick of the wand and Hermione's hands looked perfect. Hermione stood for a moment looking at the grace of Bellatrix's handy work.

"Undergarments let's go." Hermione sighed and put on her undergarments while Bellatrix pulled out a long piece of ribbon for her hair. Bellatrix jinxed her hair so that it twisted and curled exactly the right way. Bellatrix looped the ribbon in with her wand and twisted it on top of her head. Bellatrix came and shook her hair a little bit; "There is beauty in chaos. Let's get this make up on you," she flicked her wand and the brushes went right to work on her face. There were brushes everywhere, on her eyes, ears, lips, even on top of her breasts.

As the brushes did Hermione's makeup Bellatrix gave Hermione a steely look, "You know what I expect of you. If you drop one crumb of food I will personally send a howler to wherever you're staying."

Hermione fought off the urge to smile, "I understand."

"Good you're done," the brushes landed back in their cases. Now Ella will help you get dressed." Ella helped Hermione step into her dress and zipped her dress and buttoned the only button on the back neckline. Hermione held herself with full posture and looked towards the mirror over her bureau. She looked stunning, she barely recognized herself. She looked almost seductive and couldn't wait to go back to the Burrow looking like this. Ella bowed and left the room.

"Turn." Hermione turned around for Bellatrix.

Bellatrix sighed, "Yes, this will do. You look radiant, I will leave you so you can prepare for what lies ahead." Bellatrix closed the door behind her and left Hermione to stew in her anxiety. Hermione forgot what with everything Bellatrix was doing what was happening tonight. She felt a tight knot in her stomach, her nerves were on edge.

It was five till seven and she started pacing the room trying to forget that tight feeling in the bottom of her stomach. Cassandra looked positively bored in the corner. Cassandra got up and went to Hermione, she stood next to her and purred. Hemione knelt down next to Cassandra and petted the top of her head. "I know I'll do alright, but I'm still allowed to be worried aren't I?" Cassandra purred, Hermione stroked her head once more.

There was a bang at the door, Hermione sighed and stood tall and erect to face what was about to come. Hermione opened the door and thought, "I'm going to do what I need to do." She stepped out into the door way and saw Rookwood standing in front of her. Hermione tuned to close the door, but before she did Cassandra disappeared down the hallway. Hermione knew Cassandra was going to be their for her orientation. She turned to Rookwood who offered her his arm.

They walked in silence through doors and down corridors till it seemed they were in the very lowest part of the castle. The only lighting in this corridor was torches. Hermione's anxiety started to build, but she just kept repeating to herself, "I'm going to do what I need to do." As they came to a corridor even Hermione was able to see a giant door looming in front of them.

Rookwood rapped on the giant willow door, and a distant voice came from the other side, "Enter." The door swung open and Rookwood lead Hermione into a vast cavernous room. The death eaters were maskless and standing in a circle around the center of a raised floor platform. On the platform with red eyes gleaming at Hermione was Voldemort, "Come."

Hermione stood just before the platform and knelt in front of the Dark Lord. This was common protacal with the Death Eaters and Hermione wasn't about to break tradition. She rose again and looked straight into his red eyes. He searched her memory looking in every corner of her mind. "Are you loyal to me?"

"I am my lord."

"You're mind speaks true. Do you understand what it means to be a death eater?"

"Yes to follow the Dark Lord and to be faithful to him."

"Will you be faithful, always?"

"Till the end of life."

"Then stand and receive you're mark."

Hermione stood and went to the raised part of the floor, while the death eaters turned to see Hermione. Voldemort put his finger to Hermione's arm and pressed in his thumb. The pain was unbearable she wanted to shout in agony, but she stayed up she battled through it. She flatly refused for her body to bend to physical pain. Voldemort spoke to Hermione and looked right in her eyes. "This is you're mark, this is you're pledge; to be faithful to me, always."

Hermione felt the pain sear through her body her veins were on fire, and then the world blackened in front of her. She stayed up despite the pain. She was going to get through this with all of her dignity still in place no matter what her body wanted.

Some death eaters say that a part of Voldemort entered into Hermione. Others said that Voldemort awakened her own powers. Some say that ancient magic was invoked. All the death eaters agree though that Hermione was her father's daughter. Once the rumors started to spread through Diagon Alley the next morning everyone agreed that she was to be feared, the girl with the violet eyes, Princess Iola.

Hermione's vision came back to her with perfect clarity. She stood next to the dark lord with perfect smoothness. The death eaters stood in awe. The dark lord allowed a brief smile and said, "This is my heir, since I am your lord, she will be known as the princess Iola." The death eaters gave Hermione a slight bow, "Princess Iola." Hermione nodded to the death eaters. Voldemort offered his arm to Hermione and escorted her to the dinning room. As Hermione ascended the stairs with perfect grace she finally looked around at the inside of the castle. It was beautiful with rich carpets and portraits. There were torches that lined the walls giving all the shadows a smooth edge. She was pleased that after all this time she could finally see the hallways around her.

They soon entered the dinning room which was now hung with a glittering chandelier and a long table. Hermione stood standing until Voldemort seated himself. She scrapped in her chair and the table began to make small talk.

Voldemort said, "You're new eye color is very becoming." Hermione looked down into the plate in front of her and in the silver there was no brown staring back, but light purple. Hermione gazed at Voldemort in shock.

"Well it does prove one thing," he said, "it proves you're powerful."

Dinner was rather uneventful and quiet, the death eaters were too afraid of Hermione to say much. Hermione had perfect etiquette, she saw Bellatrix give her smile from across the table.

Once the 4 course dinner was over Voldemort stood and offered Hermione his arm. She accepted as he walked her to the dance floor. Hermione looked slightly perplexed, was this common protocal. Hermione didn't think so. As the music started Voldemort explained, "It's common custom to dance with you're daughter, especially if you won't get to see her for a very long time." Some how she thought that this was just an excuse to dance with her. The music started and Hermione followed him in a waltz.

Voldemort took Hermione in his arms and started with a basic and began to lead her around the dance floor with a distant lead. Hermione followed his pace, she looked into his eyes, she would miss him. He was always there when she made a mistake and telling her to fix it, she would be looking for him whenever she did something wrong at Hogwarts and would be disappointed every time.

He lead her past the death eaters, they seemed miles away. He spun her allowing her to show off a little, and when the dance was over with Hermione held him in her arms for a little while longer before nodding politely to the applauding death eaters. Voldemort looked at the clock and exhaled, "It is time, you're things are already on their way. Come." Hermione took her father's arm as he led her off the dance floor. As she looked at all the death eaters unmasked she saw Bellatrix give her a slight smile.

When she entered the hallway the shadows were no longer there, all she could see were solid walls. She felt her spirits lift, she was one of the only people in the world who was welcome here. Voldemort walked her down the flights of stairs until she was on the long walk to the exit. Voldemort kept walking with her to the gates she had seen it seemed so long ago.

Voldemort turned to Hermione and his lips twitched, "You're new eye color is beautiful, Iola. I think it's beautiful."

Hermione smirked, "So do I." As she looked into his eyes she felt tears on the back of her throat. She put her arms around him and hugged him, "I will miss you."

Voldemort eased out of the awkward position and put a kiss on her cheek, "I will miss you too. I have something for you, whenever you need me call on me." He gave Hermione a beautiful ring that was made out of silver and could wrap around the whole base of her finger.

He put it on her finger and tapped it with his wand. "Remember call on me if you ever have a need. Please write to me." Hermione nodded her head and went to the gate she turned around and said, "Good-bye, my lord, father." Voldemort nodded his head, "Good-bye my daughter." Hermione swung the gate wide open and left with a slight sob caught in her throat.

If you like the story, if you hate the story, if you want to see the seventh book review this story.


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